Becoming Us
by NJ Coffee Queen
Summary: Sixth year was the turning point. It was the year a frienship formed between enemies. Will growing up ruin everything?
1. Chapter 1

Something new! I own nothing.

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Prologue

"How is he?" Hermione Granger asked in a whisper as she conversed with Hogwarts' mediwitch.

An hour earlier, Draco Malfoy had been brought to the hospital wing covered in blood with several deep lacerations criss-crossing his chest. Madame Pomphrey had worked tirelessly alongside the Potions master to heal the sixth year. "He's lost quite a bit of blood, Miss Granger," she was told. "I fear the only remedy is a transfusion. It could take days to find students willing to donate. The Purebloods have never heard of such a procedure, and I'm sure Mr. Malfoy has made many enemies amongst the 'lesser' blooded students."

"I'll donate," Hermione volunteered. "It doesn't ruin his pure blood, does it?"

Madame Pomfrey smiled, relieved that she may have finally found a way to help the injured boy. "His blood status will remain the same," she assured the young witch. "Why don't you take a seat, and we'll get started."

After the procedure, she sat by Draco's bed and watched him sleep. They had never been friends. They often despised one another. That didn't mean she would let him die by Harry Potter's wand. Draco would never know that it was her blood that saved his life either. Madame Pomfrey had promised to keep the donor's identity a secret.

Seated beside his bed, she studied the blond. Asleep, his features, often sharp and pointed, softened. There was no sign of worry or fatigue on his face. Fatigue. She could feel fatigue. Gently, she touched his hand, wondering what it was like to have someone else's blood run through your veins. Her eyes grew heavy, and she placed her head down upon the bed just beside their hands.

A soft touch woke her. She stirred beneath the hand stroking her hair. "Pansy?" a hoarse voice asked.

Immediately she sat up. "Draco, uh, Malfoy. Sorry, I didn't mean to-" she stammered and stumbled over her words, kicking herself for falling asleep at his bedside.

"It's okay," he said, struggling to sit up. "Where am I?"

Forcing him to lie still, she told him about the fight in the bathroom and the curse Harry had cast. Professor Snape had brought him to the hospital wing while she had been helping Madame Pomfrey catalogue her potions. "I, um, I was just here," she said. "I'd never heard of the curse before, so I stuck around while they worked on you."

"And then, what? You fell asleep?" he asked incredulously, his once pale cheeks now red with anger.

"It was a very long night," she informed him, trying not to lose her cool. "I'll just go. I didn't mean to upset you."

Draco watched as she rose and began to walk away. "Has anyone else come by?" he asked when she reached the door. Slowly, she turned and shook her head sadly. "Pansy, Blaise, Nott? Any of them?"

"I'm sorry, Draco," she told him.

Sighing, he looked away. "I wasn't trying to pick a fight with your friend," he said coldly. "He started it. I just wanted to be left alone."

"I know," she murmured.

When he turned back to face her, there were tears in his eyes. "I know I gave him a reason to do what he did," he continued. "I just wish he had killed me."

"I'm glad he didn't," she replied before leaving.

The next day, she returned with an armful of books. "Snape's the only one who isn't making you do your assignments," she told him, arranging the books by subject. "McGonagall said she'd go light, but I really don't think she did. Oh, are you taking Herbology? We have it with the Ravenclaws this year, so I wasn't sure if you were still taking it."

Draco surveyed the pile now on the table next to his bed. "Yeah, I am," he mumbled. "You didn't have to do this. Or was it not your choice?"

Shrugging, she backed away from the bed. "I didn't want you to fall behind," she replied.

He selected the first book from the pile. "It doesn't matter. I'm dead anyway," he muttered, opening his Charms book.

"You're going to fine," Hermione assured him, sitting down beside his bed. "A little more rest, and you'll be good as new." He shrugged noncommittally. "Why do you keep saying these things?"

Putting the book aside, he glared at her. "Why are you acting like you're my friend?" he retorted. "We're not friends, Granger."

She wasn't put off by his abrasive speech. "I don't see anyone else here," she said calmly. "Perhaps you should take what you can get. It wouldn't kill you to be nice, Malfoy."

Everyday, Hermione returned after classes with his work. Together, they completed the daily assignments with little talk of personal matters. Despite Harry Potter's belief that Draco was now a Death Eater, Hermione found no evidence to support the claim. That all changed one night.

There was a wild look in his gray eyes when Hermione entered the hospital wing. "I have to go," he told her, struggling to get to his feet.

"What? Where?" she asked, trying to keep him in bed.

He struggled against her, desperately repeating his need to leave. "They're coming, Granger," he told her. "They're coming and we can't do anything to stop it. You have to go. Go somewhere safe. Get out of here if you can."

The fear in his eyes terrified her. "Draco, what's going on?" she asked, trying to keep her nerves at bay.

"Death Eaters, Granger," he said, holding her shoulders. "They're coming. Please, do whatever you have to do to save yourself. I can't...I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I...I can't leave. If the castle is under attack, I have to help get people to safety," she replied.

Draco shook his head. "Think about yourself for once," he implored. "Get out while you can. Please, Hermione."

She took a deep breath when his hand reached for hers. "I can't," she whispered. "I won't...I won't go alone."

He understood the meaning, and didn't deny that he wanted to follow her. But he knew he couldn't. It wasn't his choice to make. "I have to stay here," he told her as his free hand pulled up his left shirt sleeve. "To save my parents, I have to stay."

She stared at the Dark Mark emblazoned on his forearm. It should have scared her. Instead, she felt pity and sorrow for the boy holding her hand. "The Order can protect them. You don't have to do whatever it is you're going to do," she said. "Come with me, Draco. Please."

Resigned to his fate, he let go of her hand. "I can't," he said sadly. "I'll find you though when this is all over."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

He awoke in a cold sweat as his bedroom door opened. Glancing up, he saw Hermione enter and breathed a sigh of relief. "Did I wake you?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Brows furrowed, she nodded and climbed into his bed. "You were screaming," she told him. "Over and over, you kept yelling to get out and not get hurt. What were you dreaming about?"

Sighing, he laid down beside her. "You," he replied. "They'd already killed my mother, and they were going after you next. I told you to go, but you wouldn't listen. And then-"

"It was just a dream," she assured him, smoothing back his sweaty blond fringe. "The war is over. The Death Eaters are gone. We're safe now. Try to sleep."

It had been five years since peace had come to the wizarding world, but those who fought for it were still plagued by the memories of what they had done, the people they had hurt, and the loved ones they had lost. True to his word, Draco had come back to find Hermione after the Death Eaters invaded the school. But he hadn't been able to find her. Then, while on the run, she and her friends had been caught by Snatchers and brought to Malfoy Manor. He watched helplessly as his aunt tortured her. From that day on, he swore he would protect her no matter the cost. When the final battle ended, they found one another, and became inseparable from that day on.

He laid in the dark, staring at the ceiling while Hermione slept beside him. After a nightmare, it always took him awhile to fall back to sleep. It bothered him that she could fall asleep so soon after hers passed. As he laid there he wondered how long their current arrangement could last. It was one thing to befriend a muggleborn, but familial obligation meant he was betrothed to another, a woman of pureblood status.

Beside him, Hermione sighed. "You're not sleeping," she mumbled.

"Neither are you," he retorted.

Sitting up, she looked down at him in the dark. "What's on your mind?" she wondered.

He glanced at her briefly before looking away. "Us," he murmured. "You're going to come to the party, right? I don't know that I can suffer through it without you."

For weeks, she had hemmed and hawed, hoping to get out of going to his engagement party. It was easy to see the hurt in his eyes, and she felt guilty for causing it. "Why are you marrying her?" she asked.

The question had come up before, and more than once, and his answer was always the same. "I have no choice," he said automatically.

Hermione hated that answer and the argument that often followed it. "You do have a choice, Draco," she said softly, having made that point several times. "You don't have to conform to these pureblood ideologies. If you don't want to marry her, don't do it. Stay here with me. We're too young to be thinking about marriage anyway."

"You know you're the only person in the world I care about," he told her. "But there are certain...expectations that I have to live up to."

"Befriending mudbloods isn't a pureblood expectation," she pointed out, then heard him growl. "Sorry. I shouldn't have used that word."

Sitting up, he switched on the lamp and narrowed his eyes. "Being your friend has been worth it," he stated. "I didn't care when it upset my mother and angered my father. I didn't care when friends, people I've known my whole life stopped talking to me because of you. None of that matters to me because I've got you. This betrothal has been arranged since my birth. I can't not go through with it."

"But you don't love her," she replied sadly. "Don't you want to marry someone you love?"

Sighing, he laid back down. "I do," he admitted. "But I have to do this for my family."

Nodding, she left his bed. "I know," she replied. "Try to get some sleep."

He waited until the door closed before shutting off the light. Sleep never came again that night. When the sun rose, he got out of bed and left his room. Hermione was already seated on the sofa with a bowl of oatmeal and the morning paper. "Couldn't sleep either?" he asked, sitting down beside her.

Handing him the bowl and spoon, she nodded. "I've been up since I left your room," she admitted. "I couldn't stop thinking about our talk, and then I was feeling bad about it. I'm sorry I upset you."

"Don't be," he replied. "I know you're right about this. I just don't know how to tell my parents that I don't want to marry Astoria."

"She is nice," Hermione said. "It seems like she's okay with us being friends. Maybe it wouldn't be terrible if you did marry her."

Scoffing, he set down the bowl and gave her his full attention. "So, now I should marry her?" he asked. "Last night, this morning, whenever it was, you were saying I should marry for love."

"And you said you had to marry her for the sake of your family," she countered. "At least with Astoria, it's not the most terrible situation. She's nice, she's friendly, and she doesn't seem like the type who'll make you miserable. Maybe if you give her a chance, you'll find that being married to her isn't so bad."

Smirking, he pulled his feet onto the couch and poked his toes at her bare leg. "You're not supposed to be encouraging this," he reminded her.

Hermione shrugged and picked up her breakfast bowl. "I'm trying to be supportive," she replied. "I don't want you to get married. I like things just as they are, and I want them to stay that way. If that makes me selfish, then that's too bad."

"It's not selfish," he assured her. "I'm not a big fan of change either. What are the chances my parents come to their senses, and don't force me to go through with it?"

Hermione frowned. "Slim, Draco," she replied. "Very, very slim."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

She always felt out of place at Malfoy Manor. It had nothing to do with blood status or her own personal wealth. Accolades for being a war hero added up, and she soon realized that her financial status rivaled the Malfoys. Lucius and Narcissa hadn't been thrilled that their son befriended the muggleborn, and they made sure to let the pair know as often as they could.

Standing alone in the Malfoys' ballroom, Hermione surveyed the crowd for a friendly face. There were few, as so many purebloods still subscribed to outdated notions of blood superiority. There was always one person in the crowd she could call a friend when Draco was otherwise occupied. Theodore Nott, a smart, quiet former Slytherin, often came to her rescue.

"I'm bored," he declared, sidling up beside her. He ruffled his shaggy brown locks with one hand while the other adjusted his tie. "Let's get drunk and do something stupid."

Hermione grinned as she pulled his hand away from the bowtie around his neck. "Like what?" she wondered.

"The Malfoys just got some new peacocks. We could liberate them," he suggested. "Or we could sneak into Lucius's office and rearrange his books. You know that would drive him crazy."

"I don't know that I can condone harming a person's book filing system," she remarked, slowly sipping champagne. "A library is pretty sacred ground. Liberating the peacocks, however, has some merit. Draco won't be happy when he finds out it was us though."

Theo shrugged and grabbed a drink that didn't belong to him from a passing tray. "Then we won't get caught," he replied. "Unlike the last seven times we've caused mischief. By the way, I'm quite impressed that I've managed to corrupt you so easily."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I grew up with the Weasley twins. It comes naturally now," she retorted. "I wouldn't consider it an accomplishment. I did set fire to Snape's robes first year."

"Always trying to one-up me," he muttered. "Let's eat first, then wreak havoc. It's much more fun on a full stomach."

While Draco and Astoria made the rounds, greeting guests invited by their parents, Theo and Hermione slipped outside to sit on the front porch. She sighed contently as the cool night air wafted over her. "I feel bad for them," she said. "Do you have one? An arranged marriage?"

Theo shrugged, but she wasn't sure if he didn't know or just didn't care. "I did," he finally said. "But then the war happened. My parents are dead, her parents are dead, and we didn't want to get married. No one was around to enforce the contract, so we forgot about it and moved on. So, no, I don't have one."

Hermione nodded. "I would hate to have my parents decide at birth who I would marry," she remarked.

"Good thing you're not a pureblood then," he muttered. "A lot of couples find themselves in unhappy, loveless marriages. My parents hated each other. The Malfoys never seemed very happy. The Goyles...that's probably the worst of them all. Rumor has it, he and MacNair had a bit of a thing for each other, but they were forced to marry others, women. Goyle hated it, he hated his life, he hated her. He beat her regularly. She died giving birth."

"That's awful," Hermione whispered.

Theo nodded in agreement. "Greg's not so bad when you think about what he came from," he continued. "I think he blindly followed Malfoy because it meant someone was finally paying attention to him. He was so used to being ignored at home that he'd do anything for you if you just said hello."

She thought about the tall, quiet boy who kept to himself at gatherings. He never spoke to her, and was rarely spoken to by other guests. After the war, Gregory Goyle seemed to retreat from the world, coming out only when it was required of him. Draco was the only person she knew who still spoke to him. "Do you think he'd be upset if I talked to him?" she wondered.

Theo smiled softly. "I think he'd like that," he replied. "He could really use a good friend."

Getting to her feet, she returned to the party to find Goyle. She spotted him by the stairs, but before she could approach him, Draco appeared. "Where have you been?" he asked desperately. "I'm dying in here, and you're, what? Running off with Nott?"

"It was your idea for me to befriend your cronies," she reminded him. "I've always been good at following through."

Draco held her hands. "Be less good," he advised. "And help me get out of here. What are the chances you're willing to poison me? Not enough to kill me, mind you. Just enough to get me out of this party."

She rolled her eyes as she tried to pull her hands out of his. "I'm not poisoning you," she stated. "I've been walking around in heels and a fancy dress for the last two hours, and I'm tired. There's no way I'm staying up all night, holding your hair back, while you vomit into the wee hours of the morning."

"There's nothing to hold back," he replied, touching the back of his head. "Please? You love me. Do this for me."

Smiling softly, she gave his arm a gentle tap. "I do love you, but not enough to try to kill you," she told him. "I'm going to go talk to Goyle now. Teddy's still hiding outside. Why don't you keep him company?"

Draco scoffed. "Teddy? You're calling him Teddy now?" he asked.

She shrugged as she began to walk away. "Only when he calls me Minnie," she responded. Draco muttered about stupid nicknames before joining his friend outside. "Mind if I sit here?" she asked when she approached Goyle.

The lonely boy looked up with wide, dark eyes. "No," he mumbled.

"These parties are dreadful," she said, taking a seat beside him. "At least the food is good though...when you can identify it. We were going to feed the hors d'oeuvres to the geese, but Theo wasn't sure if it was safe to do so. I think he was afraid they might kill the poor birds."

Greg kept his eyes trained on his shoes. "Why are you talking to me?" he asked.

Hermione sighed. "You looked lonely," she admitted. "I know what that's like - being alone at these things. I was always miserable when Draco would abandon me. I guess I was a bit afraid that you might feel the same way."

He nodded, but still was unable to meet her soft, inviting gaze. "I hate these things," he mumbled.

Chuckling softly, she patted his right arm. "It's up to you, but the next time we're at one of these events, you could come find me," she offered. "It might make my night more enjoyable."

When she stood, he finally looked up. "Okay," he replied.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

"Why are you and Goyle now best friends?" Draco inquired, pouring two cups of coffee. "And should I be jealous?"

She accepted a mug and kissed his cheek. "Very," she replied. "I don't know, I just thought he could use a friend."

He sat down beside her on the sofa and sipped the hot beverage slowly. "I worry about you getting hurt," he said carefully. "Greg isn't like me or Blaise or Theo. We all had parents who, while they didn't necessarily like each other, at least loved their children. Greg grew up quite similarly to the way Pansy did. It's why he's always been so protective of her. The point I'm trying to make is that, even though he seems like a sweet, albeit dopey, guy, he's got a temper. Little things can trigger it too, like touching him or talking too loudly. I don't want you to be alone with him. If we're at a party, make sure Theo or I am with you. You're too important to me. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not going to get hurt," she said reassuringly.

Draco scoffed. "Oh please. How many times have you charged headfirst into a dangerous situation?" he asked. "The Ministry, the battles at Hogwarts, the bathroom after you insisted I try Polish food. You have a history."

Laughing softly, she promised to heed his wishes. "I just don't want you to worry," she told him.

Sighing, he held her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're my best friend," he said. "If I don't worry about you, who will?"

She considered what she was sure he thought to be a rhetorical question. Before the war, she had wiped her parents' memories and sent them to Australia for their protection. A year later, after the fighting had ended and peace was restored, she found them. But anger prevented them from returning to England with her. It had been Draco who reached out to her, offering her the spare bedroom in the flat he had recently purchased. She quickly accepted, and days later, they became roommates. While her friends hadn't approved of her friendship of Draco Malfoy, Harry promised that, in time, they would come to accept it. Ron hadn't.

"I would hope that Harry would," she replied. "Ron doesn't like you, but I think he's still holding out hope that we'll get back together someday. Theo might worry...if he doesn't see me for a few months because Gregory Goyle is holding me prisoner in his dungeon. The Goyles have dungeons, don't they?"

Shaking his head, Draco laughed. "They do," he confirmed. "And I'm sure Theo would grow concerned after a few weeks, not months. He's not that cold."

"He's not cold," she agreed. "He just has a tendency to be less observant than most. Does my friendship with him bother you?"

Draco sighed. "No," he murmured. "I like that you have someone else from my world that you can spend time with. Potter and Weasley, for as fine as they might be with us, have never quite embraced our friendship. I know that sometimes makes functions like last night a bit difficult for you, especially when I can't be around. So, no, it doesn't bother me that you and Theo are friends."

"You know you're still my favorite," she told him, hoping he would smile.

"I better be," he retorted, the corners of his mouth lifting. "I refuse to be replaced."

Getting to her feet, she smiled at him. "I don't think I could even if I wanted to," she said. "And don't you dare start that nonsense about you replacing Harry and Ron."

"Admit it, I have," he called out as she entered her room.

"Never!" she yelled back. Minutes later, she returned, dressed for the day. "So, what do I talk to him about? I don't actually know anything about him."

Draco shrugged. "Take him to lunch. You won't have to talk at all," he replied. "He'll be too busy eating to hold a conversation. Not that he ever really could. Though he does seem to have lost weight, so maybe that's not the case anymore."

Sitting down again, she glared at him. "Could you try, for me, to be a little more sensitive?" she asked.

Sighing, he thought about all he knew about Greg Goyle. "I don't know what else to tell you," he admitted. "Theo, I'm sure, told you enough about him. Anything I say would just be much of the same. Goyle will be good to you so long as you don't push any buttons. Don't mention family. He liked Hogwarts, so you could talk about that. Honestly, I think he was happiest there. We all were until everything went south."

She touched his arm, knowing he blamed himself for it all. He had let the Death Eaters into the school, but his involvement ended there. "I don't think it's your fault," she told him.

"You're the only one," he said softly, sadly as he held her hand. "I did it to save my parents, and they haven't changed one bit. Things were supposed to be different once You Know Who was defeated, but nothing's changed."

Hermione shook her head. "That's not true," she replied. "Things have changed. You changed. Do you really think we'd be sitting here together in our flat if things hadn't? Your parents may live by antiquated ideologies, but that doesn't mean you have to. Befriending me - you proved to them that you don't believe what they believe. You understood what we were fighting for, and you've become a much better person."

He turned and placed his head on her lap. "Sometimes I wish I saw myself the way you do," he told her as she stroked his hair.

"Hmm, yes, everyone should adapt their way of thinking to mine," she remarked. "I'm pretty much always right."

Laughing, he shut his eyes as she continued to run her fingers through his blond locks. "I should just marry you," he said offhandedly. "I doubt Astoria will think so highly of me. Speaking of which, we're supposed to meet the wedding planner today. I should get going."

He sat up and went to his room to get dressed. With him out of earshot, Hermione let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, maybe you should," she mumbled.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

"Thanks for inviting me," Pansy said as they approached The Three Broomsticks. "Sitting at home all alone has gotten a bit boring."

Hermione grinned and nodded. "My motives weren't entirely altruistic," she admitted as they entered the pub. "Goyle...Greg, I mean, is meeting us. I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable, and Draco mentioned that the two of you were close, so I was hoping you could be back up. I'm afraid that it just being the two of us might make things awkward."

Pansy nodded. Often her own conversations with Greg took a quick turn towards awkward. He wasn't a conversationalist, and it felt like pulling teeth when they talked. "This is a really nice thing you're doing," she said, taking a seat. "We were all so horrible to you, and now you're the one making an effort to befriend us."

"Well, you've let me," Hermione replied with a shrug. "And I learned that you're not as bad as I thought you were, even if you do still make fun of my hair."

A blush crested on Pansy's cheeks, but a rueful grin betrayed whatever embarrassment she might feel. "Don't think I don't know that you still make fun of my nose," she remarked.

"That's Draco," Hermione informed her with a roll of her eyes. "I've told him many, many times to stop calling you Pugsy Parkinson. It's just cruel."

Greg arrived quietly and sat down beside Pansy. She greeted him by kissing his cheek, then nudged him to say hello to Hermione. He stared down at the table as he mumbled a greeting. "Less enthusiasm next time," she told him, patting his arm. "Hermione's going to think you want her."

Hermione scowled as the boy blushed. "Stop that," she chided before turning her attention to Greg. "I'm glad you came. Um, Draco said this was your favorite place to eat."

He nodded and focused on the menu. Pansy exchanged a nervous look with Hermione before asking, "Where's Draco today?"

"Making wedding plans," Hermione replied. "I've never been to a traditional pureblood wedding. What are they like?"

"Miserable," Greg replied before catching himself.

Pansy laughed. "He's not wrong," she agreed. "It's your typical wedding, but stuffier. The bride and groom are almost always unhappy. She'll cry as she's bound for life to a man she doesn't love. He'll mutter his vows as if they had as much importance as his grocery list. They'll take the pictures their parents want, then spend the reception trying to avoid one another. It's an all-around fun time."

"Food's usually good though," Greg added.

Hermione smiled at him. "Narcissa does always have the best catering," she said. "Although, if she and Lucius get their way, I'll have to ask the two of you how good the food is."

"Draco's not going to let her keep you out," Pansy assured her. "He'll probably force you to be his Best Man."

Greg laughed at the absurdity of the idea. "But she's a girl," he said.

"Who else would he pick?" she countered. "Theo? Blaise?"

He shrugged and looked around for Madame Rosmerta to take their orders. She came and went, promising to return with their drinks shortly. "I feel bad for them," Greg said, finally appearing to come out of his shell.

"Do either one of you have a betrothal?" Hermione wondered, sipping her newly arrived butterbeer.

"Theo," Pansy said. "But we're not going through with it. No one to enforce it, after all."

The two women turned to Greg, who shook his head. "My father didn't see the point," he admitted. "No woman wants an idiot for a husband."

Pansy wrapped her arm around him, her posture defensive. "You're not stupid," she murmured for only him to hear. "You're sweet and kind and caring. Tell me."

Greg glanced at Hermione briefly, who pretended not to hear them, before looking down at the table. "I'm sweet and kind and caring," he mumbled quickly. Embarrassed, he didn't look up again until their lunch arrived. No one spoke again until they finished eating. Hermione paid the tab and they made their way outside. "Thank you for this," he said to her as Pansy walked ahead.

Surprised but pleased, Hermione grinned. "You're welcome," she replied. "I had a nice time. Is this...would you want to do this again?"

The smallest hint of a smile appeared on his lips. "Could we leave Pansy at home?" he asked. Laughing loudly, Hermione agreed. "Thanks...Hermione."

She went home feeling happy. "And how was your day?" she asked, finding Draco at the kitchen table with a half eaten peanut butter sandwich.

"I hate flowers and I wanted to set fire to every hall we looked at," he replied. "Also, if she insists on flipping her hair every five seconds, I _will_ shave her head."

Taking a seat across from him, she grabbed the other half of his sandwich and took a bite. "If hair flipping is her worst offense, I think you could cut her some slack," she advised.

He shrugged and took the sandwich from her hand. "You're not supposed to defend her," he muttered. "You're _my_ friend. Your job is to make fun of her, insult her, figure out how to embarrass her at the wedding. Quit slacking, Granger."

Still in a good mood from lunch, she laughed. "No one's ever called me a slacker before," she mused. "I'm not as upset as I should be. What do you think? Is that progress?"

He glanced amusedly at her. "Progress enough that you'll help ruin my engagement?" he inquired.

"I thought you were doing this for your family. Why would you want me to ruin things?" she wondered.

Sighing, he glanced at his now empty plate. "You came up today," he confessed. "We were discussing seating arrangements, and you came up. They don't want me to invite you. That's why I left. I know you don't want me to marry Astoria, but I want you there. I need you there. Anyhow, my mother and I aren't speaking now."

"Don't ruin your relationship with your mother over me," she advised. "I'm really not worth it."

"Yes, you are," he said emphatically. "Astoria and I talked afterwards, and I let her know that I won't marry her if you're not there. She's okay with inviting you."

Hermione's heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach. She could have been his out. She _should_ have been his out. Instead, she put on a brave, happy face. "You should be thankful you've gotten a fiancee as generous as Astoria," she replied, clearing the table. "I'm sure most purebloods wouldn't want someone like me at their wedding. It's nice that she's taking your side."

He joined her by the sink and moved a stray curl out of her face. "Will you come to the wedding?" he asked.

She wanted to say no. Astoria Greengrass was the last person in the world she wanted him to marry. They had fought too many times about his impending marriage, and she wasn't ready for the next round. "I'll be there," she promised.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

"Why didn't I say no?" she bemoaned as she and Theo walked through Diagon Alley.

Theo rolled his eyes, but said nothing. He was tired of the constant complaining about Draco and the wedding. Being her substitute sounding board was a role he didn't want. "Enough!" he said, finally fed up enough to say something. "You don't want to go? Don't go. I was hoping you would so I would have someone to keep me company. But if you're just going to complain about him making the wrong choice all night, I'd rather be alone."

Taken aback by his outburst, Hermione stopped talking. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Sighing, he shook his head. "No, don't be," He replied. "I, um, I like you, and I know you don't feel the same way about me."

"I didn't know," she murmured. He looked away, regretting his comment. "You're wrong though. I do feel the same way. My friends didn't want much to do with me when Draco and I moved in together. They refused to be in the same room as him, and eventually we lost touch. I know he worried that the same would happen with his friends, but you've embraced me as part of the group. And you - you were the first to accept me. How could I not have feelings for you?"

Theo shrugged. "Because you like Draco?" he suggested.

She smiled as she took hold of his hand. "Last I checked he's engaged," she replied. "And I have no interest in being someone's mistress, even if he did have feelings for me."

"Which you foolishly believe he doesn't," he added.

"He doesn't," she stated. "Anyhow, this has nothing to do with Draco. I think we were talking about us. Are you open to the idea of us being an us?"

Theo grinned sheepishly, staring at the hand that held his own. "I'm open to it," he replied. "I don't know what that entails exactly, but as long as it doesn't include a pummelling from Draco, I'm in. What do we do?"

Giggling, she shrugged. "I have no idea either," she confessed. "Ron would just eat and talk about Quidditch. Explains why we lasted two weeks, eh? I haven't really dated much in the last five years...or ever."

Holding her hand, he continued to walk. "So, we'll figure it out together then," he decided.

Days later, she was front page news. Draco scowled when he saw the headline, and his anger worsened as he thought of the article he refused to read. Hermione entered the kitchen with a smile on her face. "What's wrong with you?" she wondered, pouring herself a cup of coffee. When she sat down, he tossed the paper to her.

"Something you want to tell me?" he inquired, sitting back to cross his arms over his chest.

Hermione frowned when she saw the picture of Theo holding her hand as they strolled through Diagon Alley. "I didn't know there were any photographers around," she murmured.

"That's it?" he demanded. "Are you dating Nott?"

Sighing, she nodded. "We've just started seeing each other," she told him. "Nothing's happened. We just had lunch and went to the bookshop. Why are you upset about this?"

He tried to deny that it bothered him, but five years of friendship taught her to see through it. "Okay, fine. Just stop giving me that look," he muttered. Her eyebrows returned to their normal position and she schooled her lips into a straight line. "You know I just want to protect you, even though we both know you need no help in that department. I know Theo's not the kind of guy who's going to hurt you. I honestly know that. I just can't help but worry."

"I really like him," she told her friend. "You need to accept that I'm going to date other people, and that I can handle myself. I don't know that I can have a friend who flies off the handle because I have a boyfriend. I watched it with Ron whenever anyone else paid a lick of attention to me, and I hated it. I don't want to lose you, but I'm also tired of giving up what I want just to make other people happy."

He let out a deep breath as if he'd been punched in the stomach. "I didn't...please don't take it that way," he replied. "I swear I didn't mean it like that. I'm just scared of losing you."

"You won't," she assured him, moving from her seat to sit on his lap. "You and me, forever. You said so yourself. I'm not going anywhere."

His arms wound around her waist, holding her close. "Yeah, but I am," he said sadly.

Brown eyes rolled. "You're getting married, not being executed," she replied, kissing his temple. "We'll still be you and me, just with a couple of extra people in the mix. Nothing has to change."

He knew she was being naive. Everything was going to change the minute Draco and Astoria begrudgingly said "I do." But he wanted to believe that things could remain as they were. He wanted to wake up in their small flat to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. He wanted to fight her for various sections of the newspaper as they ate breakfast. He wanted to come home to Hermione Granger, and know that she was close by when the nightmares came. She knew how to soothe his frayed nerves and lull him back to sleep.

"I don't want to marry her," he murmured, resting his forehead against hers. Sighing, she tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. "I want you."

Hermione was startled when he pressed his lips to hers. This was what she wanted. For too long, she had kept her feelings for Draco a secret. She gave into his kiss for only a moment before reluctantly pulling away. "We can't do this," she murmured.

"Yes, we can," he reasoned, leaning in to kiss her once more. "I don't want to be with Astoria, and we both know that we should be together."

"Are you going to call off the engagement?" she asked. Sighing, he looked away from her. That was the only answer she needed as she vacated his lap and walked to the kitchen door. "Then I can't do this."


	7. Chapter 7

Is it weird that I have a thing for Joe Biden? My coworker thinks it is, but I don't take his opinions seriously since he's never heard of _Back to the Future_.

* * *

Chapter 6

Hermione could think only of the kiss she and Draco had shared earlier that day. Seated on Theo's sofa with his arm around her shoulders, her mind played and replayed that one moment. Theo was speaking, but she only heard bits and pieces of the one-sided conversation. "Draco kissed me," she finally said out loud.

Theo's mouth closed and his arm withdrew. "Come again?" he asked. She shook her head, knowing she couldn't repeat it. "He kissed you, or you kissed him?"

Taking a deep breath, she replied, "He kissed me."

Mirthlessly, he laughed, pulling away from her completely. "Well, that had to be the shortest relationship ever," he muttered. "Tell me this - did you want him to do it? We all know how you feel about him. You're not as good at hiding it as you think you are. Was I a consolation prize since you couldn't have him?"

"Theo." She said his name helplessly, but he was determined to be angry. "Please, I swear it's not like that."

Leaving the couch, he rounded the coffee table to face her. "That's how it seems to me," he said, the hurt evident in his voice. "Is he going to leave Astoria for you so that the two of you can live happily ever after?"

Hermione could feel her eyes begin to sting and water as she shook her head. "No, he's not," she told him. "And I won't be his mistress. You're not a consolation prize. You're who I want to be with."

"Not Draco?" he asked, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"Not Draco," she told him without hesitation. Though it was a lie, she had told the truth about wanting Theo. Rising from her seat, she joined him on the other side of the coffee table and placed her hands tentatively on his waist. Standing on the tips of her toes, she pressed her lips to his. "You're the only one I want to be with." Perhaps if she said it enough, she would begin to believe it.

Theo relented as he returned her kiss. "Do you want to spend the night?" he asked. "Things might be awkward in your flat."

She sunk down until she was flat on her feet. "I, um...when I said I want to be with you, I didn't mean it like that," she replied, feeling her cheeks warm.

Theo smirked and held her tighter. "Don't worry. I didn't mean it like _that_," he promised. "If we're really going to do this, I want you to feel like this is your place too. You should feel comfortable here."

"I want that too," she admitted. "But I can't. Not tonight."

Nodding, he let her go. "I understand," he murmured.

Hermione smiled, grateful that he wasn't angry. "I'll call you in the morning. We can have breakfast," she suggested. He agreed and held her hand until she stepped into the fireplace to return home. Stepping into her living room, Hermione found it odd that the flat was dark. It was hardly late, and far too early for Draco to be in bed. She entered his room anyway, hoping he would be there. She found him asleep on the bed with an open book resting on his chest. Softly, she slipped into bed beside him and removed the book. Her head rested on his shoulder and an arm wrapped around his waist. "I love you," she whispered as she closed her eyes.

When Draco awoke, it was still dark. Looking at the clock on his nightstand, he discovered it was just past midnight. Sighing, he tried to close his eyes again and let sleep claim him. A whimper alerted him to Hermione's presence. She no longer held him, but had rolled to the other side of the bed with her back to him. Without the blankets for warmth, she shivered as the temperature dropped, and continued to make pained noises in her sleep. He moved behind her, holding her close to his chest. "Hermione," he said softly. "Wake up, love. It's just a nightmare. Hermione, come back to me."

With a gasp, her eyes flew open and up to stare at him. His arms kept her still as she tried to catch her breath. "You're alive," she whispered with a sigh of relief. Brows furrowed, he nodded. They never talked about the nightmares, merely helped one another recover from them. Hermione, it seemed, felt the need to share hers. "I watched him kill you. It was awful. The blood...there was blood everywhere."

"I'm right here, and I'm fine," he assured her. "Just breathe. We're both okay."

In his warm, loving embrace, she began to calm down. She turned over to face him, studying his features, making sure to memorize them in case her nightmare should someday come true. With a hand on his cheek, she drew him closer until their lips touched. He needed no further incentive as he deepened the kiss, smiling against her lips when she didn't push him away as she had earlier that morning. She clung to him, but allowed him the room to remove her blouse. He pulled back briefly to slip it over her head, but didn't resume until he asked that she was alright with where the evening was headed.

"I want this," she murmured, resting her hands beneath his t-shirt.

They slept through the night, and Hermione awoke only when she heard a loud voice calling her name from the living room. Draco slept on, tightening his arms around her as she tried to wriggle away. "Stop fidgeting," he mumbled, eyes still closed.

"I think Theo's here," she told him.

Sighing, he let her go. "Go through the bathroom. Wrap a towel around yourself and clip up your hair," he instructed. "He'll think you were just about to shower."

Nodding, she slipped out of his bed and made her way to the bathroom that connected their rooms. Once inside, she did as he suggested, then opened the bathroom door so only her head was visible. "Hi, sorry," she greeted Theo with a chipper voice. "I didn't think you'd be over so early."

"I was anxious to see you again," he admitted.

Smiling, she promised to be out shortly. Shutting the door, she leaned against it and sighed. Guilt settled like a pit in her stomach, and Draco's sudden presence didn't help. "Get out," she hissed.

Draco frowned, but ignored her demand. "I just wanted to apologize for last night," he said softly, maintaining his distance. "It won't happen again."

She turned on the shower, hoping the noise of running water would drown out their conversation. Stepping close to him, she placed her hands on his bare waist. "I wanted it to happen," she told him. "And I wouldn't object to it happening again." To prove that she was serious, she pressed her lips to his.


	8. Chapter 8

It's Super Bowl weekend! I'm a Packers fan, so I don't have a team in this game. I'm gonna root for the Seahawks though since Seattle is the home of Starbucks. Which team are you rooting for?

* * *

Chapter 7

"Hermione and I slept together last night," Draco said when he sat down to lunch with Pansy.

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you bragging?" she wondered. He shook his head. "Are you feeling guilty?"

"She's dating Theo," he told her. Nodding, Pansy reminded him that he was engaged. "I don't care about that. I don't want to marry Astoria. But Hermione has a choice here, and she chose him."

Frowning, she reached across the table to hold his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It sounds to me like she chose you too," she replied. "You have to know that if you get married, she's not going to let this continue."

"But she wants _me_," he said emphatically, pulling his hand away.

"But she's not going to want to be your mistress," Pansy reasoned. "Hermione deserves more than that, and you can't give it to her. Theo, however, can. If she's happy with him, don't get in the way."

He wondered about his own happiness. It was a selfish thought, he knew, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to be happy, and that meant being with Hermione. For too long they had been enemies, and he often feared a return to those days. He needed and wanted her, and knew that she felt the same way.

"You know my parents better than anyone. What do you think would happen if I didn't go through with my betrothal?" he wondered.

She let out a soft sigh as she rolled her eyes, wondering when he would understand what she was saying. "They'd disown you," she told him. "Can you live without your vaults and unlimited galleons? Would you be okay with never speaking to them again? You don't...you have no idea what it's like to lose your family, Draco. My parents were horrible people. My father beat me, my mother ignored me, but do you know what I'd give to just see them one more time?"

He moved to her side of the table and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry, Pans," he whispered, holding her as she cried silent tears that wetted his sleeve. "I know we're not the same, but we'll always be your family too. You have people who love you unconditionally. Me, Hermione, Greg, Theo - we're more than happy to be your family."

Looking up, she smiled despite her watery eyes and tear-tracked cheeks. "That means the world to me," she admitted. "For what it's worth, I'd rather see you and Hermione together, than see either one of you with other people. She makes you a better person."

"What about me?" he asked with a gentle chuckle. "Don't I enhance her in some way?"

She thought about it for a moment before replying. "You've made her much more sarcastic," she decided. "I think she rolls her eyes more too. Weasley was always eye roll inducing, so maybe that's just a leftover habit from being his friend. The sarcasm is all you though."

Smirking, he muttered, "I'll take what I can get." He moved back to the other side of the table and picked up a menu.

"You're not going to listen to me, are you?" she asked, knowing what his answer would be.

Shrugging, he traced his nail along a groove in the wooden table. "Don't I deserve to be happy too?" he wondered. "After everything we've been through - the battles and the terror - I just want to be happy."

"You do smile a lot more when she's around," Pansy conceded. "And as nice as that is, and as much as I want the two of you to be together, you have a big decision to make. It's not right to string either one along."

As little as he cared for Astoria, Draco knew that he would be doing just that to her as much as he was to Hermione. It was wrong not to consider his fiancee's feelings, despite how little he cared about them. For years, the only thing that mattered was the brunette witch with whom he often shared a bed. The only woman he wanted was Hermione Granger. Pansy continued to talk, changing the topic to god only knew what, but Draco's mind was firmly on his best friend. When they finished lunch, he returned home to an empty flat.

It didn't stay empty long.

"The invitations are all wrong," Astoria complained when she stepped out of the floo. "I expressly said lavender cardstock, and they gave us lilac."

Draco stared at her incredulously as she shoved the sample invitation in his face. "They're the same color," he replied, pushing away her hand.

Astoria rolled her eyes and looked around. "Where's Granger?" she inquired. "She'll know that there's a difference."

Draco laughed. "I wouldn't count on it," he warned her. "She'll just tell you that's light purple. Or blue. The witch is color confused. Got into a fight with me a few years back about the color of my sheets, insisting I'd bought purple sheets. It wasn't until I showed her the tag that clearly marked them as blue that she wavered. It didn't stop her from arguing that it was a misprint, but she wavered."

Sitting down, Astoria scowled, tossing her long, dark hair over her shoulder. "Well, still," she muttered. "Everything's ruined."

"The color of the invitation ruined everything?" he asked disbelievingly.

She shook her head. "It's not just this," she replied. "It's the dress and the cake and the hall and the flowers. I've been doing this all on my own because you've made it perfectly clear that you want nothing to do with it. That's fine, Draco. I don't really want to marry you either. It's just been stressful. This is the only wedding I'll ever get. I just want it to be perfect."

Draco sighed, feeling guilty for not caring. "It will be," he assured her. "Who knows? Maybe we'll figure a way out of this, and you can have your perfect groom too."

"Is that something you're actively trying to do?" she wondered. "Is there someone else you'd rather be with?"

Draco smiled. "There is someone," he admitted. "I just haven't worked up the nerve to tell my parents that I don't want this. I have no idea how I'd live without their money. I'd have to get a job, I imagine. I don't even know how to do that."

"I'm sure Hermione could help," she replied, astutely guessing who he fancied. "Don't try to deny it's her you want. You light up at the mere mention of her name. I've said the word her and you've smiled thinking I'd say her name. I think it's nice you love someone."

A subtle blush colored his cheeks. "What about you?" he wondered. "Do you have a Hermione?"

Looking down, Astoria shook her head. "No, but I hope I will someday," she told him.


	9. Chapter 9

Boy, did the NFL get lucky! Yesterday, it was 50 degrees here in beautiful New Jersey. Today we have, to my best approximation, 37 feet of snow. Also, I'm at work, and I don't think they're going to let us go early.

* * *

Chapter 8

Hermione knocked on Draco's open bedroom door. Smiling at her, he closed his book and set it aside. "Just get home?" he asked.

She nodded solemnly and laid down beside him. His arm wound around her shoulders and her head rested on his chest. "The shortest relationship known to mankind ended today," she told him. "I ended things with Theo. I just...after what you and I did, I couldn't stay with him."

He gently stroked her arm. "Are you okay?" he murmured.

Sighing, she sat up. "No, I'm not," she told him, looking as if she were trying to hold back tears. "I hurt him, and I feel awful. He didn't deserve to be treated that way."

"Do you regret sleeping with me?" he wondered, his hand falling away from her.

Eyes trained on his stomach, she shook her head. "I don't, and that makes me feel worse," she admitted. "I've tried telling myself that we were together for about a week, and it's not like I cheated on my husband or something. He looked at me like he hated me. It was worse than the way you used to look at me."

Guilt settled like a cannonball in Draco's stomach. "We turned out okay. There's still hope for you and Theo," he said, hoping he sounded reassuring. "I'm sorry that you're hurting though, and I hate myself for causing it."

"I was a pretty willing participant too, Draco," she replied. Exhaling, she laid down again. "Tell me something happy. What did you do today?"

He shrugged, careful to not dislodge her head. "I had lunch with Pansy," he said casually. "And Astoria and I talked. I convinced her you're color blind, which was pretty hunny."

She slapped his chest softly. "That was you who thought your sheets were purple," she remarked, laughing.

"So, you would have been happy to discuss the difference between lavender and lilac with her?" he inquired, attempting to extricate himself from her hold. "Give me a minute, I'll call her over."

Hermione's giggles grew louder as she tried to keep him beside her. She wasn't sure how it happened, but when the struggle ended, he was on top of her. "Hi," she whispered, kissing him. He returned the greeting and kissed her again. "So, what else did the two of you discuss?"

Groaning, he moved away from her. "Well, we talked about you," he said honestly. She moved back into his arms and waited for him to continue. "She knows about us, and agrees that we should be together."

"What about her?" Hermione wondered.

"Well, she doesn't want to marry me either," he responded. "Honestly, I think she's just waiting for me to put an end to things."

Hermione chewed her bottom lip, nervous to voice her next question. "Are you going to?" she asked.

Looking down, he smoothed her hair back and examined her beautiful face. He could count the freckles on her nose, see each eyelash, identify the small scar on her chin from the time she had smacked it against the kitchen table when she was a toddler. In his eyes, she was perfect. "I'm going to," he decided. "Think you can support me in the lifestyle to which I am accustomed when the Malfoys cut me off?"

"You don't know that they will," she told him. "They might surprise you."

He snorted. "We're talking about _my_ parents, remember? When it comes to bucking their traditions, they'll be predictable," he replied. "I can promise you they're not going to be happy, but I don't care. I'll be happy."

"I'll take care of you," she promised. He pressed a tender kiss to her lips and held her tighter. When she pulled away, he smiled. "Even if you weren't leaving your fiancee for me, even if it was just because you didn't want to marry her, I'd still take care of you. It's what we do."

Draco sighed contentedly as he closed his eyes. "What would I do without you?" he wondered. "Believe me, I've tried to think about it. You know, what it would be like if I really married Astoria. I just can't picture my life without you in it. You're who I want to fall asleep and wake up next to. I want to argue with you about who does the dishes or who should remove your hair from the shower drain."

Chuckling, Hermione sat up. "You sound like you're going to propose to me," she teased. When he said nothing, she turned to face him. His countenance was serious, not a hint of a joke twinkling in his gray eyes. "No, Draco, you can't. You're still engaged to Astoria. Besides, I don't want to marry you."

"Gee, thanks," he muttered, vacating the bed. He walked to the door, but soon felt small hands wrapping around his bicep.

"That's not what I meant," she said, her voice apologetic. "I just...we don't know each other that way. We've been best friends for six years, but that's not the same as boyfriend and girlfriend. I want to know what it's like to date you, and be wooed by you. I'd also like it if you were single."

A slight blush colored his cheeks as Draco nodded. He had already begun to think about how to break the news to his parents. As badly as he wanted Hermione to be right, he knew he needed to steel himself for their less than favorable reaction. Months of planning and years of negotiations were being tossed aside for a muggleborn. While Narcissa and Lucius begrudgingly accepted their son's friendship with Hermione, they would never approve of it advancing beyond that.

"You don't feel pressured, do you?" Hermione wondered, her eyebrows drawn together with worry.

Draco shook his head. "You think I feel like you're pressuring me into breaking off a relationship I don't want?" he guessed. "That's crazy, Hermione."

"I meant the telling your parents part," she clarified. "I know you have your reservations about doing it, and I don't want you to feel pressured to do it."

Though he appreciated her consideration for his feelings, he knew this wasn't something he could delay until he felt more comfortable. "It's better they know sooner," he decided. "This isn't something I want to put off. Hell, if I didn't fear you hexing me for it, I'd shout it from the rooftops that we're together. I know you hate being embarrassed."

Hermione cringed. "Please don't do that," she murmured.

Smiling, he leaned down to graze his lips across hers. "You know I won't," he assured her. "I'm not going to screw this up. I need you too much."


	10. Chapter 10

There's a quote from a book in this chapter. I'm curious to see who knows which book it came from. I'll tell you in the chapter the source.

* * *

Chapter 9

Draco stood nervously outside of his parents' palatial mansion. The large, looming, dark estate sent shivers down his spine. He tried to avoid his childhood home as much as possible; plagued by memories of the past. For too long he had lived in fear of dying behind these doors, and had broken free the second he could.

His hand shook as he lifted it to ring the bell, wishing no one on the other side would answer. His hopes were dashed when a small elf with large, watery eyes opened the door. "Master Draco!" he was greeted. "Come in, come in. The Mistress and Master is waiting."

He walked in confidently, his head held high, ready to tell his parents that he had no intention of following through with his betrothal. Taking a drink and seat, he opened his mouth to express his feelings, but was quickly cut off. "Has Astoria told you that we found the most perfect dresses for the bridesmaids?" his mother asked.

With a roll of his eyes, he told her no. "Actually, she's want I came over to talk to you about," he began. "We won't be getting married. We've discussed this, and it isn't something either of us want. We deserve to choose who we marry rather than perpetuate another generation of miserable pureblood households. After everything we've fought for, we deserve this chance to be happy."

He was pleased with himself for having made it through his speech without hesitation or interruption. Serious expressions were worn by his parents as they took in what he said. "You'll learn to be happy with Astoria, just as your father and I learned," Narcissa stated in a matter of fact, end of conversation tone of voice. "Tradition is meant to be upheld. I won't have a son who rebukes his upbringing."

"I'm not rebuking anything," he argued. "All I want is to choose who I spend the rest of my life with. I don't think that's too much to ask."

"And who do you intend to marry?" Lucius inquired. "Hermione Granger?"

Draco's spine became rigid as he sat up straighter. "I would be so lucky," he replied.

His father disagreed. "It's bad enough that you let her live with you. You won't sully the family name by marrying her," he informed his only child.

Shrugging, he got to his feet, ready to leave. "Then disown me. Cut me off," he suggested. "I don't care. Hermione and I want to be together, and if I'm lucky enough to marry her, then I will. But it'll be our choice, not yours."

On his way to the front door, he heard his mother's voice behind him. "Wait," she called to him. With an impatient sigh, he turned to face her. "I won't lose my only son to this argument. I fought too hard to protect you during the war, and I don't want that effort to be for naught. You may not respect this tradition, but we do. I'd like you to give Astoria a chance."

Scoffing, he shook his head in disgust. "You know, there's this book that Hermione has," he said fondly. "She's read it a thousand times. She probably has it memorized by now. But there's a quote that I've become particularly attached to. 'We'll all grow up someday. We might as well know what we want.' I know what I want, Mother. And it's not an arranged marriage and a wife I don't love. I want the life I have with Hermione. It's mind boggling to me that a parent doesn't understand that."

He left then, and quickly Apparated home to the woman he loved. Glancing up, she frowned and set aside her book. "How did it go?" she asked, nervous for his response.

Scowling, he sat down beside her and held her hand. "I told them I won't marry Astoria, and I don't care what they do to me," he told her. "I have you. I don't need anyone else."

"You better hope I don't get tired of you," she teased.

Shifting, he placed his head on her lap and smiled at her. "You won't," he replied confidently. "I'm very loveable."

Her fingers toyed with his hair, running through it and tugging the edges gently. "I find you less loveable when you leave your socks near the shower for them to get wet," she informed him. "Also, would it kill you to wash your dishes instead of leaving them in the sink?"

"You could clean your hair out of the drain yourself," he suggested. "Honestly, I deserve the Order of Merlin for taking on that task."

Hermione tried to frown as she held back laughter. "Are we breaking up?" she wondered. "If so, I'd like full custody of the blender."

Draco let out a loud chuckle. "Only if I get the coffee pot," he replied. Reaching one hand up, he hooked it behind her neck and gently drew her lips to his. "It's going to take a lot more than loose hair to run me off. I love you too much to leave you."

Pulling back, she pressed her lips together, still feeling the tingle of his kiss. "Think you'll always mean that?" she wondered. Grinning, he nodded. "Think you'll be okay without your parents if they really do disinherit you?"

Sighing, he sat up. "I'm concerned about money," he confessed. "I've never had a job because I've never needed one. Maybe this will be a good opportunity though. I'll learn a little responsibility, develop some new skills, prove I can be independent."

"I'm proud of you," she told him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Does this mean I don't have to support you now?"

"Actually, I was going to ask for your help," he replied. "You've got connections, and a recommendation from you would go a long way. I don't know that finding employment is something I can do on my own, given my reputation."

She understood. Following the war, acquitted Death Eaters and Dark Lord sympathizers were shunned by many in the wizarding world, and the Malfoys were no exception. Most had viewed his friendship with Hermione as a publicity stunt, including her friends. At the time, Draco dismissed people's opinions, having little use for them. Now though, he would need to change their minds about him.

"We take care of each other," she reminded him. "You know I'll do whatever can I help to you with this. Including talking to Harry about getting you into the Auror program, if that's what you want."

Sighing tiredly, he confessed to not knowing what he wanted. "I've never been given an option," he told her. "I always knew that when the time came, I'd inherit the family business. How do you choose what you want to do with your life?"

Hermione shrugged. She had taken a job with the Ministry to protect the rights of those deemed less deserving in the wizarding world. After a year of her ideas being shot down or overturned, she left to open her own bookshop.

"Close your eyes," she instructed, waiting for him to do so. "Okay, now picture your dream job. Picture something you love more than anything. Picture yourself doing something you enjoy, something that makes you happy."

Try as he might, only one thing came to mind. "All I see is you," he said.


	11. Chapter 11

Happy Friday! Pretty much everyone who reviewed guessed that the quote came from _Little Women. _Have a lot of people read the book/seen the movie, or am I just really predictable?

* * *

Chapter 10

Pansy perused the travel section, waiting for Hermione to pay attention to her. She watched her converse with customers, making suggestions and ringing up their purchases. It wasn't until Hermione left the front counter that Pansy realized she wasn't alone. Draco was by her side, taking over checkout.

"Sorry," Hermione said, joining her friend. "It's been a busy morning."

"Draco's working here now?" Pansy asked.

Hermione nodded. "He's officially been cut off," she shared. "He needed a job, I need help here, so I hired him."

Pansy nodded as she observed his interaction with the customers. Draco smiled and seemed pleasant, glad to help whoever needed it. "Are things going well between the two of you?" she asked. "The papers won't stop talking about how he's called off his wedding to be with you. How's he doing with all this?"

Hermione smiled as she looked at him. "He's happy," she replied. "He's referring to himself as an orphan, but he's happy. I think he just feels free, which I'm sure is a feeling that won't last long when he has to start paying bills on a cashier's salary. But I'm not ready to burst that bubble just yet."

Giggling, Pansy returned her attention to the shelf. Selecting a book on Italy, she thumbed through it. "It's nice that the two of you can work and live together," she decided. "Someday, I hope I have someone like that. Everyone should get to experience the kind of love the two of you have."

"You will," Hermione promised with a reassuring smile. "So, what brought you around today? Hoping to see Draco do some manual labor? I have a shipment in back that needs to be shelved."

Laughing, Pansy shook her head. "Planning a trip, actually. Greg and I are going away," she shared. Hermione's eyebrows rose, hoping that a new relationship was brewing. "It's not like that. We're friends, more like brother and sister really. With the anniversary of the final battle coming up, we both decided that we want to be anywhere but here. Do you think he'd like Italy?"

"I think he would," Hermione replied. "The culture, the sights, the food. You two would have a nice time there. Take whatever books you want. It's on me. All I ask is for a postcard."

She tucked the book in her hand under her arm and wrapped the other around Hermione. "I don't know what that is, but I'll figure it out and get you one," she promised. "Or you could come with us. You've befriended Greg, and this will give you more of an opportunity to spend time with him."

Hermione smiled. "Are you inviting Draco as well?" she wondered.

Rolling her eyes, Pansy nodded. "We both know you don't go anywhere without the other," she replied. "I figured with the amount of media attention the two of you have drawn, you could do with a little time away as well."

Sighing wistfully, Hermione shook her head. She couldn't leave her shop, and it was important to Draco that he take his responsibilities seriously. "Maybe next time," she suggested. Pansy nodded knowingly and continued to browse. "May I ask you something? Why aren't you mad at me for what happened with Theo?"

Pansy pulled another travel guide from the shelf and read the back cover. "Why would I be mad that your ten minute relationship ended?" she wondered. "We both knew it wouldn't last. It was only a matter of time before you and Draco got together. It wasn't fair to Theo that you dated him and slept with Draco, but we knew it was inevitable that you would wind up with him. Personally, I think Theo was fooling himself to believe he even had a chance with you."

Taken aback by her honesty, Hermione could only stare at her friend. Pansy turned to her with a questioning look in her dark eyes. "I wasn't lying to him when I said I had feelings for him," Hermione mumbled, suddenly feeling guilty for the way her brief relationship ended.

Pansy softened. "I know you weren't," she said kindly. "Theo's difficult to hate, and he has a knack for making women fall for him. I know your feelings for him were real, they just weren't strong enough to combat the ones you had for Draco. The only person who has any right to be mad is Theo. It's not my place to be angry or anything less than supportive of you. We're friends, Granger, and we look out for one another."

Smiling, Hermione wrapped her arms around the girl she had once hated. "Thank you," she whispered.

Laughing as she pulled away, Pansy continued to peruse the books. "Just don't fall in love with me next," she joked.

Hermione grinned, walking backwards away from her friend. "Too late, Parkinson," she declared. "I can't live without you."

She returned to the counter and her boyfriend. "What was that about?" he asked, making change for the last customer in line.

"We were invited to Italy, but I declined," Hermione replied, stickering a pile of books. "I didn't think you'd want to vacation with Pansy and Greg."

He turned to watch her on the second floor of the shop. "Think there's something going on there?" he wondered. Hermione shrugged, undeterred from her task. "That would be odd, don't you think? I can't see Goyle with...well, anyone. Besides, I think Pansy needs someone with more personality. Goyle's-"

"Stop," she told him, her mouth set in a thin, straight line when she shut it. His eyes widened minutely before he whispered an apology. "Greg's a nice guy. I wish you'd stop picking on him."

Taking the price tags from her hand, he set them aside so he could have her full attention. "I'm sorry," he said again, his arms winding around her waist. "I promise I'll make an effort to be kinder to him."

"He deserves it," she replied, arms crossed over her chest. Draco nodded in agreement. "And if they decide to be together, we'll respect their decision and be happy for them. They're our friends, and they were supportive of our relationship. It's only fair we show them the same respect."

Rolling his eyes, he tried to hide a smile as she lectured him. "Yes, ma'am," he mumbled before giving her a tender kiss. "Some habits are a bit hard to break, but I'll do my best to break this one. You're right. He deserves to have better friends."

"Stop sucking up, and please stop sucking face," Pansy chastised, standing on the other side of the checkout counter. She placed four books on the counter. "Is it alright to take these?"

Hermione nodded and handed a bag to her friend. "We're giving away books now?" Draco inquired.

"Half of the books in your room are books you took from the shop," Hermione remarked. "I don't recall charging you for them. Besides, bring them back when you no longer need them, Pansy. I can always sell them used. A lot of people like used travel books, especially if you put a few notes in the margins."

Nodding, Pansy hugged her and left the shop. "That's nice," Draco commented. "Sometimes it feels like school never happened at all."

Hermione resumed her previous task of placing prices on the newest books. "Explains that double negative you used the other day," she mused.

Laughing, he leaned against the counter and eyed her. "I meant the way we've managed to put childhood animosity behind us and become friends," he said.

She glanced his way briefly before returning to her work with a frown. "Yeah, if only my friends were so evolved," she muttered.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

"It's called a television," Draco said, turning on the set. "I swear, Hermione moved in, and I didn't leave the sofa for a week. It's addictive. She hid the channel changer from me, which is the only reason I ever got up."

Greg stared at the screen dubiously. "What's fun about moving pictures?" he wondered as Draco rapidly changed channels. He stopped on a football match and set the remote aside. "What the hell is this?"

Draco chuckled. "Something Hermione hates," he replied. "I'm only allowed to watch football when she's not home."

Half an hour passed as Draco explained the rules ("Like Quidditch without the brooms") and they shared a bag of crisps. The longer they watched, the more into it Greg got. Hermione returned home to find crumbs on the floor and two happy men high-fiving one another. She smiled, unbothered by the mess. While he'd never been one to make promises, Draco often strove to fulfill the ones he made to her. Seeing him with Greg Goyle, enjoying an afternoon together, made her happy.

"We'll clean up when the game is over," Draco said guiltily when he spotted her. She waved him off and walked to the kitchen, returning minutes later with butterbeer bottles and a new bag of crisps. Giving Greg's shoulder a gentle squeeze, she excused herself and entered her bedroom.

"Things good there?" Greg asked, opening a butterbeer.

Draco shrugged before nodding. "Really good," he replied, eyes trained on the television.

"She's nice," Greg continued, less interested in the game than his friend was. "I don't get why she wants to be friends with us."

Muting the game, Draco turned to him. "Because she firmly believes that everyone has good in them," he said. "She sees the best in people. I don't know what she saw in us, but she finds us deserving of her friendship. I'm not about to question her motives."

"Me neither," Greg agreed, smiling. Just as quickly as it came, it disappeared. "What about Potter and Weasley? What happened to them?"

Sighing, Draco hung his head. "Me," he told him. "They promised her that being friends with me wouldn't change things, and then they stopped speaking to her."

Greg shook his head sadly. "She deserves better," he muttered. Their attention returned to the game, and neither spoke until it ended. Rising from the sofa to stretch his legs, Greg looked around. "Malfoy, why did you ask me to come over?"

Taken aback by the question, Draco sat silently as he shut off the TV. "I, um, ya know, with Pansy and Hermione, and you and Pansy now-"

"You don't have to be my friend if you don't want to," Greg said, cutting off Draco's stuttered response. "It's not like we ever were before, right? If you don't want to be friends, don't pretend to do it just for the girls."

"Ya know, over the years I've done a lot for Hermione because it's what she wanted me to do," Draco told him. "And yeah, she asked me to make more of an effort to be nicer to you. Inviting you over was my idea though. As much as you and Crabbe annoyed me in school, you were the most loyal friends I had. Most of the time, you were the only friends I had. So, yeah, I want to be friends, and not because of the girls."

Nodding, Gregory Goyle smiled. "Thanks, Malfoy," he replied. "Um, I should get going. Tell Hermione I said goodbye."

When he was gone, Draco entered Hermione's room and laid down on the bed beside her. "How was your day?" she asked, eyes still glued to the pages of her book.

He took the book from her hands, marked the page, and set it aside before wrapping his arms around her. "We had a good time," he replied, resting his head on her shoulder as he closed his eyes. "Am I a bad person?" he wondered. "Growing up, I always assumed Crabbe and Goyle just blindly followed me because it was what they were supposed to do. I didn't care that I insulted them constantly because it didn't occur to me that they had feelings."

She stroked his cheek as he finished speaking. Until their sixth year, she did believe him to be a bad person. In the years since, though, she had been granted permission to see a different side of him. And that was what she told him. "We all grew up," she continued. "We all did things we regret. That's why I think you're a good person. You realized you've done bad things, but you've also done some really wonderful things to make up for them. Look at us. If you were a bad person, would we be together?"

"I guess not," he mumbled. "But what if you're the only person I know how to care about?"

"We both know that isn't true," she interrupted. "I've seen you with Pansy. You're protective of her. Do you remember your mother's Christmas party last year? One of your father's business associates was harassing her. You ditched me, mid conversation, to come to her aid. I watched you, you know. The way you put your arm around her shoulders, the scared look disappearing from her face, the intimidating one you wore. I couldn't hear what you said, but she looked so relieved to have you by her side."

Draco blushed as he opened his eyes, but refused to meet her gaze. "I told him I'd break his legs, slowly and painfully, if he ever went near her again," he admitted. "I hate when people try to take advantage of her."

"Thanks for proving my point," Hermione remarked. "There's room in your heart for more than a couple of people. It all depends on who you choose to let in."

"Maybe we should take that trip with them," Draco suggested, sitting up.

Smiling, she appreciated his desire to be a better friend. "And how will you be paying for it, Mr. Malfoy?" she inquired.

Frowning, he shrugged. "Can I get an advance on my paycheck?" he asked. "I'd really like to take my girlfriend on vacation."

"Sweetheart, as much as I want to go, we can't afford it," she told him sadly. He nodded, knowing she was right. Sighing, he laid back down. "Maybe we could afford to close the shop and go for a day or two."

Sitting up again, his brows furrowed as he took in the hesitant look in her eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Sighing, she sat up straighter and stared down at her hands. "I am," she replied. "I could use a break. The other day, Harry and Ron came into the shop. I tried to talk to them, but they ignored me. Wouldn't even let me ring up their purchases. I realized something then - I have friends who want to talk me and spend time with me. I'm not going to waste my time on people who want nothing to do with me. So, yes, I'm sure that I want to go."


	13. Chapter 13

I'm seriously getting tired of snow and winter and being cold. Is it possible to will warmer weather? Or does that only work if you're Blair Waldorf and possibly pregnant?

* * *

Chapter 12

They arrived in Venice three days into Pansy and Greg's trip. Hand in hand, they entered a small hotel and checked in. "Not worrying about the store, I hope," Draco remarked as he took their key and bags in one hand.

She pressed the button that summoned the elevator and waited. "Not worried," she promised. They stepped into the car and made their way to the third floor. "Okay, so maybe a little. I've never really taken time off. I'm just concerned that something could go wrong."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as they exited the lift. "You have a good staff, even if your best employee - me, in case that wasn't clear - is away," he told her. "The shop is in good hands. Try to relax and enjoy yourself. How often do you get to say that you spent a Tuesday in Italy?"

Taking the key from his hand, Hermione let them into their room. "You did take me to Paris for my birthday last year," she reminded him. "That was a Tuesday, wasn't it?"

"Paris and Venice are two different places. Not even in the same country, Miss Brightest Witch of All Time," he teased with an overly exaggerated eye roll. Hermione giggled as she began to unpack the few belongings they had for their overnight trip. "That's the sound I wanted to hear." He kissed her cheek before walking over to the window.

When she finished her task, she joined him. "I'd of thought we would be meeting them in Milan," she commented, knowing Pansy's penchant for fashion.

Draco stroked her arms as they wound around his waist. "I think she did this for you," he replied. "Didn't you tell her once that you wanted to see Venice?"

Hermione struggled to recall a time she had mentioned that desire around Pansy. "I don't think I did," she muttered.

"We were at the Leaky," he told her. "It was the first time the two of you spoke beyond insults and name calling. You were talking about where you wanted to go, and you immediately said Venice because while you were on the run seventh year, you had a book on Venice in your pack that you would look at when you wanted to see something beautiful. I guess she remembered."

Her eyes began to sting with the familiar development of tears. "I can't believe she did," she remarked in awe. "Merlin, even I forgot about that. Telling her, I mean, not actually doing that. I can't believe she remembered."

"She loves you," he replied with a small shrug of his shoulders.

Hermione smiled as she kissed his shoulder. "We should go find them," she suggested, pulling away.

Leaving the hotel, they walked the streets until they arrived at a small cafe. Pansy and Greg was seated at an outdoor table for four. Draco pulled out a chair for Hermione, but Pansy stood and grabbed her hand. "Bathroom," she told the trio. Startled, Hermione followed wordlessly. "He kissed me."

"Who?" Hermione asked, shocked by Pansy's frantic behavior.

Rolling her eyes, Pansy guffawed. "Dementors," she replied sarcastically. "Who do you think? Greg!"

Hermione grinned. "Really?" she asked excitedly. "How was it? How did it happen? Why do you seem so bothered by this?"

Sighing, Pansy hung her head as she leaned against the sink. "It was nice," she said. "But it's Greg. He's been like a brother to me my whole life. I essentially just kissed my brother."

"He's more of a distant cousin," Hermione remarked. "Do you like him? As more than a brother, I mean."

Pansy looked at her with tears in her eyes. "I don't know," she confessed. "I like being with him. He makes me laugh. He's always the first person I go to when I'm upset. I don't know, I guess it's sort of similar to you and Draco. Except the both of you knew you had feelings for each other."

"Well, we didn't exactly know," Hermione replied. "It was more that we liked one another, but never said anything about it. But we're not talking about Draco and me. Are you upset that he kissed you?"

Looking down, the witch tried to repress a smile. "I'm not," she said. "It was what a kiss should be. Sweet and gentle and loving. I've never been kissed that way before. With Draco, it was a struggle to get him to kiss me, and Blaise's kisses were overwhelmingly passionate. Kissing Greg was perfect. We were standing on the balcony of our hotel room last night, and he reached for my hand. We didn't speak, he didn't do much besides hold my hand. And then it sort of just happened. He kissed me, and it was over quickly."

"Do you want him to do it again?" Hermione wondered, elated when Pansy nodded. "So, no more fretting then?"

Pansy released a deep breath. "No more fretting," she agreed. "I think I just needed to tell someone. Thanks for listening."

Hermione wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she led her from the restroom. "That's what friends are for," she reminded her. They returned to their table and reclaimed their seats. Draco shot her a curious look, but she told him nothing. "So, Greg, enjoying Italy so far?"

The former Slytherin blushed and looked down as he nodded. It was clear from his reaction that he knew Hermione had been told about the kiss. "It's pretty," he mumbled before being saved by the waiter. There was no talk of kisses or relationships from that moment on. Instead, Pansy regaled them with stories of their vacation while outlining their itinerary for the remainder of Draco and Hermione's stay. When they finished and the bill was paid, they left the cafe to wander the streets of Venice. Greg hung back, holding onto Hermione's arm. "Can we talk?" he asked quietly.

"Pansy told me about the kiss," she admitted. "I'm not going to tell Draco though."

He nodded, knowing she wouldn't. "It's not that," he replied.

"Are you worried that she doesn't feel the same way?" Greg nodded sheepishly. "You didn't hear this from me, but she does. Personally, I think the two of you are perfect together."

"I just want to take care of her," he said, finally looking up. In his eyes, Hermione saw that he truly wanted nothing more than to protect someone. The love he felt for Pansy was evident, but more than that, there was a sense of conviction that she had never before seen. "She deserves to be happy."

Hermione smiled softly. "So do you," she pointed out. "I don't think you have to do much to convince her that you should be with one another."


	14. Chapter 14

We have so much snow! I can't remember New Jersey ever getting so much snow. There was a blizzard in 1996, but I think that's the worst we've had until this year. Fingers crossed, this was the last of it!

* * *

Chapter 13

"Why won't you tell me what they told you?" Draco asked impatiently as they returned to their flat. Hermione laughed as she shook her head. They had returned to the hotel the night before, and he started begging to be let in on the secrets. "But why? They were my friends first. I deserve to know."

She opened the front door and left her bag by it. "It isn't my secret to tell," she said, repeating the familiar excuse. "They'll tell you when they want you to know. Or maybe they'll never want you to know. It's not my decision to make."

"You're cruel, Granger. So very, very cruel," he said, pretending to be hurt.

"That she is," a voice said as Theodore Nott stepped out of their kitchen.

Hermione gasped, startled by his presence and fearful of what might happen when he and Draco were in the same room. Draco stood behind her, his hand comforting and protective as it rested on her hip. She considered pushing it away, not wanting to incite Theo's ire any more, but she appreciated the care Draco had for her. He would defend her no matter what, and that gave her a small sense of hope.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked his former friend.

Theo shrugged nonchalantly. "Just thought I'd pop over to see how the Malfoys are doing," he said, his voice venomous. "Did you two run off and elope? That's what the papers are saying. Funny that you two go missing for a day, and that's their first assumption. It would be mine too. So, is that what you've done?"

Hermione, brows furrowed, shook her head. "Would it matter if we did?" she wondered, remaining calm.

"Well, there are so many things the two of you don't know about each other," Theo remarked. "For instance, Draco, have you and Astoria officially ended your engagement yet? Because when I spoke with her two days ago, she was under the impression that she was still planning a wedding. And Hermione, have you told your beloved that you're the reason he's alive now?"

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked with an impatient sigh.

Tears pooled in Hermione's eyes, but she refused to blink lest they should fall. "How do you know about that?" she demanded, her hands balling into tight fists.

Theo shrugged. "You should really be more careful around Slytherin," he commented. "You often told Malfoy that no one but you visited him, but that wasn't true. I came to see him the night of the accident, found you asleep beside his bed, and asked Madame Pomphrey what happened. Draco, do you know what a blood transfusion is? I didn't. Thank Merlin for that library though, eh? You can learn an awful lot there. I wonder, though, if this means you're no longer a pureblood."

His hand withdrew from Hermione's waist, but he stayed close. "I think you should leave," he said tensely.

Theo smirked. "Have I struck a nerve?" he wondered. He moved to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder before turning his attention to Hermione. "Ya know, I really thought we could have been something. I miss you, Minnie."

He stepped in and disappeared before Hermione could respond. Now alone with Draco, she feared his reaction to the secret that had been kept from him for so long. She remained in place as he sat down and held his face in his hands. "It's over. I swear it is," he told her, his voice muffled. "He's lying about Astoria. She knows it's over."

"He wasn't lying about the transfusion," she replied softly. "I'm sorry I never told you."

He looked up, his eyes emotionless. "Why didn't you?" he wondered.

Sighing, she leaned against the wall. "I thought you'd hate me," she admitted. "You hated me for so long, but it was the only way to save your life. I was afraid that you would be mad that it was my blood. Mud blood."

He cringed at the use of the word he hadn't uttered in six years. "I understand not telling me then, but why didn't you told me when you realized I didn't hate you?" he asked, knowing that he would have been angry back then.

"I don't know," she murmured.

Getting to his feet, he joined her on the other side of the room. "Were you afraid that I'd hate you for keeping it from me?"

"Maybe," she mumbled, feeling his fingers beneath her chin. Try as he might to raise it, she refused to let him. "Can you honestly say that you don't hate me now?"

"I don't hate you," he replied without hesitation. She finally lifted her head. "That doesn't mean I'm not upset though. You're my best friend. We tell each other everything. I deserved to know about this, and it shouldn't have come from Theo."

She nodded, knowing he was right. There were no excuses she could give, and she made no attempt to try. "I'm really sorry, Draco," she murmured.

Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead. "I know," he replied with a sad lilt. "We're going to get through this. Give it time, and we will."

Hermione stared at him as he backed away from her. "Will you at least tell me that you still love me?" she asked as he made his way to his bedroom.

He smiled sadly at her. "I'll never stop loving you," he promised.

The door closed behind him, leaving Hermione alone with only her thoughts for company. For six years, Draco had been friend and family. She had kept the life saving procedure a secret for fear of losing him. Though he promised that this wasn't the end of them, she feared a return to the old, cruel, closed off Draco Malfoy.

Outside, the sky darkened as the day transitioned to night. Hermione entered her room and stared at the made bed she hadn't slept in in weeks. Taking a seat, she looked longingly at the bathroom door. The shower ran, wisps of steam escaping beneath the door. She longed to join him, but knew that she couldn't. He seemed to want his space, and he deserved to have it. The water turned off, and her heart began to race. The footsteps approached her door and she watched as the knob turned. Draco entered her room with a towel around his waist.

"Are you coming to bed?" he asked, using the back of his hand to wipe the water from his forehead. She looked at him, wide eyed, but said nothing. "We both know my bed is more comfortable than yours. Take a shower and come to bed."

Nodding mutely, she followed him to the bathroom and watched as he passed through to his room. He closed the door behind him and sighed. They needed to talk, to clear the air between them. It scared him that this might be the end, no matter how much they loved and needed one another. He didn't want her guilt to tear them apart. He dried off and dressed as Hermione finished showering. Minutes later, there was a soft knock on his door. He slipped into bed as he told her it was alright to come in.

She stood shyly by the door, causing him to chuckle. "Get over here," he said, holding back the blankets. Hermione made her way to the bed and joined him, but kept her distance. Sighing, he shut off the light and laid down. "Don't drive yourself crazy over this. It's not worth being upset over."

"I hid this from you for six years," she pointed out. "You said you were upset. Why shouldn't I be mad at myself for this?"

Rolling over, he reached for her, draping his arm across her waist. "Because it isn't worth it," he said again. Despite the dark, he saw her blanch. "We're not breaking up. It's going to take so much more to separate us. Yes, I was hurt that I didn't hear it from you six years ago, but I understand why you didn't tell me."

She turned to face him. "Are we really okay?" she asked.

"We're really okay."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 14

"What if there are other things she's hiding from me?" Draco wondered, talking to Pansy for the first time since they returned from Italy.

Pansy groaned as she stirred sugar into her tea. "Why don't you ask her?" she suggested. "This isn't you and Hermione. You don't tell each other one thing, but think something else. The two of you are disgustingly honest. If things aren't okay, don't tell her that they are. She knows when they aren't."

Sighing, Draco sat down on the sofa. "Things are fine," he insisted. "We're not breaking up. You don't have to choose sides. We're fine."

"You're just afraid I'll take her side," Pansy teased. They both knew it was true. Hermione had been nothing but good to her since the pair had become friends. Draco shrugged, not caring whether or not she chose Hermione over him. She sat down beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "She's told you everything else. She tells you when she has to go to the bathroom, for goodness sake. There are no secrets between the pair of you. This one...yes, it was a big one, but you understand why she kept it, don't you?"

He nodded. "She was afraid I would hate her," he muttered. "And back then, I would have. And maybe she has a point. Maybe if she'd told me after we became friends, I would have felt betrayed, and that could have been the end of things."

"So, what's different now?" Pansy asked. "Why hasn't the relationship fallen apart? Why don't you feel betrayed?"

Looking up, he stared her straight in the eye. "I love her too much to lose her over this," he replied with staggering conviction.

"Didn't you love her before?"

Sighing, Draco shook his head. "I did, but not like I love her now. I can't imagine my life without her," he said. "And yeah, I needed her in the past, but it's different now. I don't care about anyone but her."

The brunette smiled, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Then let everything be okay," she advised. He nodded, knowing what needed to be done. "So, can I tell you my secret? Hermione knows, but, well, we both know she's good at keeping a secret." Draco waited patiently, hoping for good news. "Greg and I are together. He kissed me in Rome, told me he loved me in Florence, and we've been together since Milan. Honestly, I owe your girlfriend a debt of gratitude. She sure knows how to make people admit their feelings."

He turned and held her close. "I'm really happy for you," he whispered in her ear. "Greg told me about the kiss. I mean, he mumbled something about kissing you, then asked me what type of pasta I thought he should order. I didn't realize it was the start of something though. I'm glad I heard it from you."

"Did you think Greg would tell you?" she asked, laughing softly. "Honestly, I think he's still a bit surprised by it all. I certainly am."

"I have to admit - I am too," Draco confessed as the front door opened. Looking up, he smiled when he saw Hermione. "I know the secret."

Hermione smirked as she set down her purse and hung up her jacket. "About time," she replied. "He's been pestering me since Italy."

Getting to her feet, Pansy hugged her friend. "You okay?" she whispered. Hermione nodded. "He's not mad at you. You know that, right?"

There was an imperceptible shrug of Hermione's shoulders, and Pansy bade them goodbye. "She's happy," Hermione commented.

Draco followed her to the kitchen and watched silently as she made a fresh pot of coffee. "Are you?" he wondered. She nodded, but said nothing more. "Lately, it doesn't seem like you are. We don't keep secrets, remember? I'm worried about you."

"Don't be," she replied, pressing the start button.

Her back was to him, and so she didn't notice that he stood behind her until his arms wound around her waist. "I thought we were good," he said, his voice full of concern. "I thought we were passed the transfusion. You saved my life. There's no way I could hate you. I figured out that I didn't hate you that first time you brought me my schoolwork."

She pulled his hands away as they stroked her stomach beneath her blouse. "Why did Theo say that Astoria still thinks you're engaged?" she inquired, turning to face him. "And why was your engagement announcement in the paper this morning?"

000000000

He swore he would never return to Malfoy Manor. Cut off, disowned, he had no reason to return. That is, until his engagement announcement showed up in _The Daily Prophet_. Not bothering with the formality of knocking, Draco entered his childhood home and stormed into the parlor where his mother was enjoying afternoon tea.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded, throwing the paper down on the coffee table.

His mother eyed the text with little emotion. "Consider it a peace offering," Narcissa said calmly. "If you agree to marry Astoria, then your full rights as a Malfoy will be restored. If you don't, there are no second chances, sweetheart. It's like I said - I won't lose my son over this."

"That's exactly what's happening," he replied, biting his tongue to keep from insulting her and the family name. "You don't want to lose me? Call this off. Let me be happy. Let me be with Hermione without interference and threats. Imagine what it would do for your public perception."

Narcissa pursed her ruby red lips. "Imagine what it would do to our public perception when it's found out that you've abandoned this family for a mudblood," she remarked.

Picking up a teacup, he threw it at the nearest wall before leaving. He returned to the bookstore in a rage and marched past Hermione. She followed, both curious and concerned about his mood. He entered the back office and slammed the door shut behind her. "I'm done," he declared.

"With what?" she asked, fearful that he meant that he was done with her.

"She called it a peace offering," he continued, ignoring her question. "How the hell is that a peace offering? Telling the world that I'm marrying Astoria Greengrass is supposed to make me come crawling back to the Malfoys?"

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as he continued his rant, telling her about the brief conversation he and his mother had had. There was hope that they were still together despite their recent rough patch. Sitting down, she waited patiently until he finished and joined her. "Never once have I been worried that you would go through with this marriage," she told him. He eyed her disbelievingly, and she chuckled. "Okay, yes, there was a time I thought you might, but not since we've been together. And I'm sorry I was upset with you earlier. I should know better than to doubt how much you love me."

He kissed her forehead. "I do love you," he assured her.

Taking a deep breath, she took hold of his hand and held it tightly. "There is something else I've kept from you. Something I found out when we returned from Italy," she started.


	16. Chapter 16

It didn't seem fair to leave you on a cliffhanger, so I'm posting the next chapter early.

* * *

Chapter 15

"We're having a baby?" he asked, unsure if he should jump up and down with excitement or throw up.

She nodded, biting her bottom lip nervously. "It's yours, if you were worried about that," she continued. "Theo and I never...it's only been you. And, um, it's okay if you're scared or don't want this. Honestly, I've never been more terrified in my life, and it's only a baby. But if you want out, I understand."

His lips silenced her as he kissed her deeply and passionately. "I want this," he murmured against her mouth. Arms wound around his neck, holding him close. "I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled as he continued to kiss her, lying her down on the sofa in her office. He switched to her neck, giving Hermione the opportunity to breathe. "No one else knows," she told him.

Lifting his head, he smirked. "I'm glad I was the first, well second, to know," he replied. Her fingers stroked his cheek, moving from his stubbled jaw to his forehead to remove the fringe that hung in his gray eyes. "Do you want this?" he wondered. Though she nodded, he didn't believe her. Draco sat up, and helped her up as well. "I know you're scared, but there's nothing to be scared of."

"It's not the right time. We weren't supposed to do this now," she argued, tears brimming in her eyes. "We did something stupid, and I know I have to accept the consequences, but you're wrong. There are plenty of things for me to fear. We can't raise a baby on the money we earn here. What if the baby is sick? What if there are complications? What if we get mad at each other again and one of us leaves?"

Draco pulled away and stood up, stopping on the other side of the room. "I don't understand what you're telling me," he said, his face set with a stone-like expression. "Am I supposed to go crawling back to my parents and beg them to give me money? Or am I just supposed to walk away now? Or do you want me to propose so you don't have this fear hanging over your head that I'm going to leave you? Because if I have any say in this matter, I'm not leaving. That's my baby too, and I want to be here."

"You should be here," she agreed, refusing to allow her emotions to get the best of her. "I would never do anything to keep you away. A little reassurance that you won't leave would be nice though."

Sighing, he turned his back to her to focus on the bookshelves. "I haven't left yet," he reminded her. "In fact, you might be the only person in my life I've never thought about leaving. I don't care that my parents disowned me or old friends wanted nothing to do with me because I had you."

Her tread was soft as she approached him, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "You still have me," she promised.

Draco shook his head, laughing mirthlessly. "Do I?" he wondered. "Do you really want me involved?"

She wished he would turn around. "Yes, I do," she told him. To her relief, he turned to face her.

"Can you accept the fact that I'm not going anywhere?" he asked. His eyes were fixed on her as she nodded. "I know this is difficult and scary and new, but we take care of each other. That means you have to let me do my job. Let me take care of you. Can you do that?"

Again, she nodded. "I can," she replied. "At least, I think I can."

Draco kissed her softly before removing her arms from his torso. Despite Hermione's protests, he told her there was something he needed to do. He would come back to her soon, and left the bookshop.

As fall approached, the temperatures dropped and Draco realized a short sleeve shirt did nothing to keep away the chill. Despite that, he continued on until he reached the nearest Apparation point. Within seconds, he stood outside of the Ministry of Magic. Stepping into the phone booth, he deposited the required payment that would take him inside. His heart beat faster and faster as he walked through the Atrium and stepped into a crowded lift. When the doors opened on the eighth floor, he followed the crowd. He didn't know where to go, but continued on anyway. The door that read Harry Potter, Head Auror was in sight. Summoning all of his courage, he knocked and waited for permission to enter. When it came, he realized how sweaty his palms were as he turned the knob.

"Potter," he said, his voice catching in his throat.

Harry looked up, removed his glasses to clean them, and put them back on. "Malfoy," he replied. "You're the last person I expected to walk through that door. What are you doing here?"

Releasing a shaky breath, Draco stepped into the office and shut the door behind him. "I, um, I need your help," he admitted. "I'm sure you know from the paper that Hermione and I are together. And if you know that, then you also know that the Malfoys disowned me for choosing her over Astoria Greengrass. I know the two of you have been on the outs for awhile now, and that you hate me for some very good reasons, but I'm hoping you would be willing to put that aside to help me."

Harry sat up straighter and ran a hand through his dark, unruly locks. "Is she okay?" he asked, worried about his friend. "She's not hurt, is she?"

"She's fine," Draco promised. "There are just...certain circumstances have arisen, and we need money. I was hoping you might be help me find a job here. I don't think I want to be an Auror. I'm not cut out for that. I always like potions though, so maybe there's something there?"

"What are the circumstances?" Harry wondered. Draco shook his head, swearing that he couldn't say. "But she's alright? She's healthy?" Draco nodded, and Harry sat back in his chair. "Last I heard, you were working for her. That's not cutting it?"

Draco stared down at his shoes. "No, it's not," he replied. "Look, you know I wouldn't be here if this weren't important."

The Boy Who Lived did know that Draco Malfoy didn't grovel, but it was a nice sight to see. "I'll do what I can," he said. "I don't know that there's anything available here, but I do know that Hogwarts has a Potions Master vacancy. I'm sure you could convince McGonagall that you deserve the job."

Smiling, Draco nodded and got to his feet, thanking Harry for his help. His hand was on the doorknob when Harry spoke. "Can I see her?" he requested.

"That's really up to her," Draco replied before leaving.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 16

Harry stood on the doorstep of The Magic Word, debating whether or not to enter Hermione's shop. The decision was taken from him as Hermione unlocked the door and pulled it open. She stood before him with crossed arms and an angry scowl. "Hi," he said sheepishly.

"Hi?" she repeated. "You haven't spoken to me in almost a year, and you say hi? What are you doing here?"

"Saying hi?" Harry joked. His attempt at humor did nothing to ease her hard expression. "I, um, I wanted to apologize. Malfoy and I ran into each other the other day, and I miss you. He said it was up to you if we spoke, but I was afraid that you'd say no. So, I'm here, Mione, and I'm sorry."

Hermione looked away, surveying Diagon Alley as other shops began to open. "Did the two of you running into each other have anything to do with the job interview he has today?" she inquired. Blushing, Harry nodded. "He told me a friend helped him. Are the two of you friends now?"

"I don't think so," Harry answered. "I want to be your friend though. It was wrong of me to distance myself when you and Malfoy became friends. I said I'd still be your friend after you and Ron broke up, and I've let you down. Malfoy's a part of your life, and if the papers are to be believed, a pretty big part of it. I'm just hoping there's a small opening for me."

Her hand rested on her stomach as she sighed. The papers didn't know about the baby yet, but she was sure that story would break any day now. "I don't know, Harry," she replied. "After not speaking for so long, it just became easier not to. I hated worrying that something I'd do or say would upset you. Draco's friends - our friends - never make me feel that way. Maybe we should give it time."

He nodded sadly, promising to return before walking away. Sighing, she watched him go, wondering if he would keep his word. Stepping inside, she began her day by arranging the displays and restocking shelves. The day's first customers arrived soon after, and Hermione put Harry out of her mind. She allowed the store to distract her until Draco arrived at noon.

"I have no idea," he said, stepping behind the counter, answering the question that was written on her face. "Honestly, I don't even know why she let me in. It was pleasant, or as pleasant as it could be given our history. I'm not sure I'll get it though."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she rung up a customer's purchases. "You'll get it. You had the second highest score on your N.E.W.T.s our year," she reminded him. "She'd be a fool not to hire you. And don't even start thinking about that sixth year nonsense. You're the best man for the job, and Professor McGonagall will recognize that."

"I hope you're right," he murmured, kissing her temple.

On Wednesdays, the shops in the Alley closed early. Tired, Hermione and Draco apparated home. "Food," she begged, lying down on the sofa. "Food and then sleep. Then maybe more food. We'll see what stays down. Also, I need to pee."

Draco chuckled as he picked up the phone. "Chinese okay?" he asked as she made her way to the bathroom. She let him know it was fine, and listened as he placed their order; enough food to feed ten. When she joined him on the sofa and turned on the television, he took the remote from her hand and turned it off. "I'm nervous."

"About the job or the baby?" she wondered.

"Both," he admitted. "I didn't realize how much I wanted the job until I got to the school, but when she started outlining the position, I wondered if I'd be any good at it. What if I can't teach? Or I realize I hate kids? I'm going to be a father. I can't hate kids."

Hermione held his hand. "Hating other kids doesn't mean you won't like your own," she assured him. "Besides, I think you'll be a great teacher."

He sighed as he stared at their joined hands. "There's something else though," he continued nervously. "If I do get the job, it means living in the castle."

Her thoughts mirrored his own. Would they have to live apart? Was it possible for her to live in the castle as well? She didn't want to be apart, but didn't want to discourage him from accepting should an offer be made. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there," she decided, leaving the sofa when the food arrived.

When she returned, they ate in silence. Draco picked at his food, his appetite quickly waning. "Would you live there with me?" he asked. "I mean, if I get it. There's a really good chance that I won't, and I'm upsetting you for no reason."

"Professor McGonagall wrote to me this afternoon," she told him. "She wanted to know what I thought of you as an employee, and to find out if I thought you'd be a good fit at Hogwarts. As much as I'd hate to lose you at the shop, I think you'd make an amazing teacher. When she does offer you the position, I think you should take it."

Dinner forgotten, he placed his container of chicken and broccoli on the coffee table and leaned forward, elbows digging into his thighs. "What about us?" he wondered. "What does taking this job mean for us?"

"It means we'll have two, proper incomes," she replied, "and you'll be doing something you enjoy."

"And what?" he cut her off. "You'll be here, pregnant and alone, while I'm in Scotland? My father did that, you know. He was gone on 'business' all the time. I never saw him, and when I did, he wanted nothing to do with me. My mother told stories about how I didn't even recognize him until I was five. I'm not going to be my father, Hermione. I can't be him. It's not fair to you or our baby that I'm not around."

"I know," she agreed. "Um, I know we weren't telling anyone about the baby yet, but I thought Professor McGonagall should know. We both know she's going to hire you, and it seemed prudent that she know our situation. She assured me that accommodations can be made to suit our needs."

He turned to face her and smile. "_Our_ needs?" he asked, needing clarification. "So, we would be living together in the castle? What about the shop?"

Hermione shrugged. "Well, I could always floo from one place to the other," she suggested. "There's going to come a point when I have to take some time off, so I'll have to leave the shop to someone else. Frankly, I'd really rather not go through this on my own, so being with you at Hogwarts is the only thing that makes sense."

His smile grew as he continued to look at the only woman he had ever loved. "Leave it to you to think responsibly," he teased. "In all honesty, though, I want you there. My nightmares are bad enough here. I can't imagine being back in the castle, alone with them."

She kissed him softly before picking up a container of noodles. "We take care of each other."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 17

The position was officially extended to Draco days after his interview. He was being given a one year trial, and at the end of the school year, they would reevaluate his position. Harry had come by the shop to congratulate him, hoping also for a chance to see Hermione, but she made herself scarce.

That weekend, they were summoned by Headmistress McGonagall. Draco paced across the bedroom floor, waiting for Hermione to come out of the bathroom. "What do you think this is about?" he wondered when the door opened. "I mean, why would she want to see the both of us? Am I in trouble already?"

"I doubt it," she replied with a small laugh as she pulled on a cardigan. He continued to spout scenario after scenario - it's a practical joke, I'm really being arrested, she needs a good laugh - and Hermione shot them all down. "Stop stalling and get in the floo. I'm positive this is just some logistics meeting. There are a lot of things to work out before you start."

Nodding, he stepped into the fireplace beside her and called for the headmistress's office. The large room was empty when they arrived and cleaned themselves off. Draco nervously held Hermione's hand as she led them to the chairs in front of the large, mahogany desk. His foot tapped nervously on the hardwood floor, sending reverberations toward his girlfriend. She opened her mouth to ask him to stop when the door opened.

Minerva McGonagall hadn't changed in the five years since Hermione had last seen her. She wore her gray hair in a tight bun, dressed in dark robes, and her mouth was set in a scowl. "Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, I'm glad you could join me," she said, her voice customarily stern. "Now, Miss Granger has informed me of her...condition. Professor's quarters are generally one room, but we've taken the liberty of providing you with something a bit larger. Your rooms will be connected to the floo network, and you'll both have full access to any amenities the school provides. Professors are scheduled to move in the second to last week of August, and you'll leave the day after the students' term ends. Any questions?"

Draco shook his head, but Hermione sat up straighter. "I'm just concerned that my presence at the school is a nuisance," she replied.

The scowl the elder witch wore shifted. "You were only a nuisance when with Potter and Weasley," the former Transfiguration professor remarked. "No, you'll be surprised to know that you aren't our first...committed couple to live in the castle. Yours will be the first family to live here, but we've had married professors on staff."

There was a minute raise to the old woman's eyebrow, as if she were asking a silent question. "Um, we aren't married, Professor," Hermione informed her.

"I'm aware," she replied. "Well, that was all I needed to discuss. Although, I am curious about the reference from Mr. Potter. I wouldn't have taken the two of you for friends."

Draco seemed taken aback. "What did he say?" he wondered.

The headmistress produced the sheet of parchment and eyed it quickly. "He said you were born for this position, that you always excelled in potions, and that I would be a fool not to hire you," she stated. "A recommendation from the Head Auror is hard enough to secure, but I knew you had to be worth it for Harry Potter to personally send this. I take it you had no prior knowledge of this?"

The blond shook his head. Beside him, Hermione placed her hands on her stomach and looked away. "Thank you, Headmistress," he said. "For everything. I'll try not to let you down."

He rose to shake her hand, and McGonagall accepted it. "I know you won't," she replied.

The couple left, walking through the castle, and out the front doors. It wasn't until they reached Hogsmeade that Hermione spoke. "I guess I should thank him," she muttered. "Although, I'm getting a bit tired of his attempts to get back in my life."

"What's wrong with that?" Draco wondered. "He's making an effort. I was pretty awful to you, and I did far less to get you to be my friend. Potter's trying. Give him a chance."

Sighing, she stopped walking and stared at Zonko's Joke Shop. "It's not the same. You and Harry," she replied. "It's not the same. You weren't my friend when did horrible things. We weren't friends when you called me a mudblood and hexed me. Harry was my friend when he stopped talking to me third year for turning in the mysterious broomstick he received. He was my friend when I risked my life to save his. Harry and I were friends when he told me that nothing could come between us, and then he began ignoring me because I made another friend. Don't compare yourself to him. You've been a much better friend these last six years than Harry's been for the past twelve."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "We're not so different," he pointed out, leading her to the Three Broomsticks. "It took the both of us a while to realize we want you in our lives. It's okay if you need more time though. You make a good point - we weren't friends when I was being a git. I guess it's harder to forgive a friend for being a jerk than it is an enemy."

"I could...try to be nicer," she conceded begrudgingly as they took a seat at the first available table.

"That's all I ask," he replied, smiling at her. "And maybe he's not as bad as I thought. He wrote that letter of recommendation. I had no idea he would do that. It was pretty nice of him. Not something a mortal enemy does."

She sighed, not wanting to discuss Harry. "If Ron had written it, I'd be shocked," she told him. "But Harry...Harry's got a better heart. He'd do anything for his...friends."

Draco eyed her, knowing she understood Harry's motive for sending the letter. "He misses you, love," he said. "I'm not saying that what he did in the past was right, but it seems like he's ready to make amends for it. You don't have to forgive and forget. Just give him a chance."

Hermione sighed before scowling. "I make no promises," she told him. "But I'll try to make an effort if he will."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 18

As summer came to a close, Draco and Hermione moved into the castle. Two living quarters had been magically fused together, creating a two bedroom space for the couple. They unpacked quietly; Hermione in the bedroom and Draco in the living area. When she finished, she joined him and sat down to watch as he arranged their books on the small bookcase. When he finished, he sat down beside her and closed his eyes.

"I can't believe we're here," he said tiredly. "I honestly never thought I'd be allowed back."

"And be put in charge of impressionable, young children," she added. "Are you scared?"

Sighing, he shook his head. "I'm really not," he replied. "That could all change in a week when the students are actually here, but right now, I'm not afraid to do this. I'm a bit freaked out by the idea of anyone calling me Professor though."

Turning, she straddled his lap and kissed him. "Should we start practicing?" she inquired, winding her arms around his neck. "You know, get you used to hearing it."

Draco chuckled as she moved from his lips to his neck. "As much fun as that could be, it wouldn't do to have me associating my new title with your newly awakened sexual appetite," he replied. "Just seems like a recipe for disaster."

With a dramatic sigh, she vacated his lap. "Do you think Pansy and Greg really expect us to come to dinner tonight?" she asked.

He groaned. "I hope not. My back is too sore to move from this spot," he decided. Hermione nodded and closed her eyes. "Let's just stay right here and never leave this spot," he added as he began to fall asleep.

They slept for hours, waking only when Hermione began to stir and her stomach rumbled. "No," she whined, trying to hold onto sleep. "Can't move. Too tired."

"You need to eat," Draco mumbled, but made no attempts to vacate the sofa.

"Food sounds good," she replied, cuddling further into his side.

Eyes still closed, Draco withdrew his wand from his sleeve and summoned a house elf. His eyes opened long enough for him to greet the elf and order shepherd's pie and treacle tarts. Dinner arrived shortly thereafter, and he forced her to wake up in order to eat. "Do you feel bad that we bailed on them?" he wondered, his mouth full.

She eyed him and laughed. "No, Ron, I don't," she replied. He smirked, continuing to eat as if it had been days since his last meal. "They knew we were moving today, and Pansy said she didn't really expect us to make it. Though, it would have been nice to tell them about the baby."

"Are you still sure you want to ask them to be godparents?" he asked. "They haven't been together all that long. Who knows if they'll even stay together."

Hermione reached for a treacle tart and held it. "We haven't been together all that long either," she pointed out, placing her free hand on her stomach.

Draco scoffed. "We've been together for six years," he countered.

"And we've only been dating for a few months," she replied.

Removing the tart from her hand, he slipped his own into hers. "I've loved you for six years," he told her. "We felt right together. We'll always be right together."

Brown eyes focused on their joined hands. "Are you saying any of this because I'm pregnant?" she asked, needing validation that his love for her was genuine.

"No," he said emphatically. "I'm saying it because it's true. That day when I woke up in hospital and saw you asleep by my side, I know I acted like a git. The truth is, a part of me was happy that it was you. I wondered if I could be nice to you, maybe you'd help me get out of the situation I was in. I was too stubborn to admit that I wanted your help though. Hell, I was too stubborn to tell you that I wanted to be your friend. At least I have you now."

Hermione's gaze continued to remain on their hands, travelling only slightly higher to see the bottom outline of the Dark Mark on his arm. He caught where her eyes went, but made no attempt to cover it. It wasn't something he was proud of, but he had learned to accept the decision he had made so long ago. "I'm going to have to tell our kids about this someday," he continued sadly. "I remember the first time I saw my father's, I asked what it was. He told me it was something to be proud of. He said it was a symbol of a perfect world, and something I should aspire to."

Hermione snorted. "Your father had some sick, twisted ideas about aspirations," she remarked. "What do you think you'll say when the time comes?"

Draco shrugged and shook his head. "I have no idea," he admitted. "I don't know how to talk to you about the horrible things I've done and seen. How do I explain that to my child? I was in awe of the stupid thing when I was a kid, but once I saw what happened when you got it, I knew I'd never be able to tell anyone that it was something great. I don't want our children to worship me the way I worshipped my father."

"You keep saying children, as in plural. Do you know something I don't?" she wondered, hoping her teasing question might lighten the mood.

But he shook his head. "No, I just know that I hope this one isn't the first and last," he replied. "I want a family. I never had one, but I know I want one. Having siblings might have been nice. Maybe I wouldn't have felt so alone all the time. Is it...I mean, is that something you might want too?"

"It is," she told him. "I don't want one the size of the Weasley family, but it would be nice to have more than one. Can I ask you something?" She swallowed thickly, watching as he nodded his head. "Will you marry me?"

Taken aback, he stared at her with wide eyes. "Are you asking because of the baby?" he wondered when he finally found his voice.

"No, I'm asking because I love you and I want to marry you," she replied. "We're a family already, so I'll understand if you say no. Maybe it is too soon for this. I just...I wanted to ask because this is what I want."

Leaning in, he kissed her in hopes of putting an end to her rambling. "Yes," he told her when he pulled away. "I want this too."


	20. Chapter 20

Next to come is the Epilogue! Also, I received a review for the last chapter asking if I realized that Hermione called Draco Ron. That was intentional. He was exhibiting Ron Weasley behavior.

* * *

Chapter 19

Greg shook as he reentered the castle for the first time in six years. "I hate this place," he mumbled, holding tightly to Pansy's hand. She said nothing, merely nodding her head in agreement. While she had been ushered to and locked in the school dungeons when the war broke out, Greg had been by Draco's side in the Room of Requirement. He had watched as Crabbe ignited the Fiendfyre that eventually consumed him. "I sent a curse at her. We were...we were supposed to kill her and Weasley, and bring Potter back to You Know Who. I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill her. I tried to stun her, but it missed."

"I'm sure she doesn't hold it against you," Pansy assured him as they walked towards the professors' living quarters. "Merlin, I didn't even know this part of the castle existed."

She knocked on the door and smiled when Hermione greeted them. Pansy's eyes were drawn to the gentle swell of her friend's abdomen, and shot Hermione a suspicious look. "Don't," Hermione warned, gesturing for them to enter. A small table had been set for four and Draco was putting the finishing touches on it. "He never did this at home," she remarked, watching as he lit candles and straightened out the silverware.

"Speaking of home, what exactly did you do with yours?" Pansy wondered.

Hermione shrugged. "We kept it," she said. "We have to have some place to go back to when the school year ends."

Pansy nodded, deciding that explanation sounded reasonable. "So, why the two bedrooms?" she inquired, walking around the space. "Is McGonagall making you sleep in separate rooms?"

Pulling her away from the closed door, Hermione guided her friend to the sofa. "Okay, fine. We'll tell you know, Miss Impatient," Hermione decided, asking Draco to join her. "We're, um, we're going to have a baby. I'm a little over three months now, and-"

"You're just telling me now?" Pansy asked, hurt that her friend had kept her pregnancy a secret for so long.

"It's a muggle tradition," Draco explained. "Besides, we haven't told anyone besides McGonagall, and that was only to get the space we got. We wanted to tell the two of you because we're hoping you'll agree to be godparents."

"Why us?" Greg wondered, shocked that they would think of Pansy and himself.

Hermione smiled as she rested a hand on his forearm. "In the event something happens to us, we want people who'll love our child to take care of him or her," she said. "I know it's that's a big responsibility, but-"

"I'd love to," Pansy said, hugging her friends.

All eyes turned to Greg, but it was Hermione who assured him that he didn't have to accept. "No, I...I want to," he told her. Hermione pulled away from Pansy and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Is it okay that this scares me?" he whispered.

She kissed his cheek as she pulled back. "I'm scared too," she confided for only him to hear. He smiled at her, and offered his arm when Draco announced that dinner was ready.

They began to eat in silence, but the silence didn't last long. "So, I hate to sound like the mother of the group," Pansy said, "but what's your plan now? Are you going to get married? Do you plan to raise the baby in the castle? Would you even be allowed to do that?"

Draco grinned, taking Hermione's hand. "She actually proposed to me yesterday," he announced. "Prof-Head-Minerva agreed to marry us before the school term begins. What are you doing on August 31st?"

"Coming...to your wedding?" Greg guessed.

"Merlin, the two of you need more friends. This is getting exhausting," Pansy commented with an overly dramatic flair. Hermione chuckled and promised she could be her maid of honor. That seemed to turn her mood around. "But seriously. Is it just us?"

Hermione shook her head. "We, um, Harry's been invited. We've started talking again, and we're slowly getting back to being friends," she said. "Blaise is coming, and asked if he could bring his new girlfriend. I've got a sickle says it's Astoria, while Draco says Daphne. Neville Longbottom is already on campus, so Harry will have a friend. It's just something small out by the lake. I don't want to wait, and then waddle down the aisle because I'm too fat to move like a normal human being."

While Pansy distracted Hermione with talk of fashion, the men tried their best to hold a conversation of their own. "So, what's it like living here again?" Greg wondered.

Draco shrugged as he pushed a piece of chicken around his plate. "Surreal," he decided. "I really never thought I'd be back here. Hell, I thought I'd never be _allowed_ back here. It's kind of nice being here, knowing that no one's going to try to kill us though."

"Don't rule out the students," Greg cautioned, grinning at his own joke. "The number of times Longbottom nearly killed Snape with a potions mishap - well, I'm sure Hermione will be well compensated for your death." Draco laughed, but didn't disagree. "How's she handling living here?"

"She's got full access to the library again. How do you think she's doing?" Draco replied. "I am worried that her nightmares will be worse here. She seemed pretty restless last night."

Greg patted his friend's shoulder. "She's strong. I think she'll be okay," he said, smiling when he caught Hermione's eye.

"Yeah," Draco smiled, "she is."

Greg and Pansy left a few hours later, returning the small living quarters to silence. Draco cleaned up while Hermione readied herself for bed. Alone, she had nothing more to do than replay the evening over and over in her mind. Pansy had grand ideas for a large wedding, everything from their dresses to the cake to their first dance. As she had listened without comment, Hermione began to wonder what her own idea of a dream wedding was.

"What if I want a real wedding?" Hermione asked when Draco joined her.

"I thought what we planned was a real wedding," he commented, sitting down beside her to take off his shoes. "Was Pansy trying to talk you out of what we're doing?"

Hermione shook her head. "I honestly never cared about my wedding," she told him. "I didn't care about guest lists and seating charts and dresses and the music. I was never that little girl who dressed up as a bride. There were more important things, like books and school work. For a long time, I didn't think I'd ever get married, and eventually I convinced myself that marriage wasn't something I wanted. I just...I don't want to look back on our wedding day and wonder if we rushed into something because I'm pregnant."

"We should do this the way we want to do it," he said. "If you're having second thoughts, then I'm not going to push this. We can wait. We'll wait as long as you want."

A pit of guilt settled in her stomach. "I don't deserve you," she murmured. He had been kind and patient, taking all of her wedding ideas and desires into account before implementing them.

She rested her head on his shoulder as he gave it a little shrug. "We love each other," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "I'd do anything for you."

"Will you marry me on the 31st?" she asked. She looked up to find an incredulous look in his eyes. "Yes, I know, I'm a walking...well, sitting contradiction. It's just that I was thinking we could still do that ceremony, and then maybe later, when we've had more time to plan, we could do something bigger. And who knows? By then, I'll probably have gotten over the whole thing, but we'll still be married."

"Is that really what you want?" he asked. Hermione nodded, assuring him that it was. "Okay, August 31st, you'll be my wife."


	21. Chapter 21

It's a bit on the short side, but hopefully you all still like it! Thanks for reading!

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Epilogue

Draco was in the middle of an exam - walking the aisles, peering over shoulders, chastising the occasional talker - when a harried looking fifth year entered his class. "Professor, you're needed in the hospital wing," he announced, out of breath. "It's Mrs. Malfoy."

Nodding, Draco tried to remain calm. They knew it was only a matter of time before the baby came, but he hadn't expected labor to begin the middle of classes. He instructed the student to find the nearest available teacher, and then he waited. It felt like hours passed before Neville Longbottom entered his classroom. "Go," was all he said. "And tell Hermione I said good luck."

He thanked him with a nervous smile and ran from his dungeon classroom to the hospital ward on the third floor. He stopped in the doorway to catch his breath before rushing to his wife's side. "Hey, hi, how are you feeling?" he asked, breathing heavily.

The death grip she had on his hand answered his question. "I've been better," she growled as a contraction passed. "I don't like this. It hurts, and Madame Pomphrey says it's hardly even started. I can't do this, Draco."

"Yes, you can," he promised her as he soothingly stroked her hair. "And I'll be right here the whole time, no matter how long it takes."

Hermione frowned. "But what about your exams?" she asked.

Chuckling, he shook his head. "Leave it to you to care more about tests than yourself," he replied. "Neville's promised to administer them. Don't worry about anything. Just focus on our baby."

As the contractions came closer together, Hermione distracted herself with thoughts of the last year. It had been a whirlwind year. Shortly after moving into the castle, the couple had married as planned by the Black Lake. The ceremony was short - an exchange of vows and rings, promises of unending love and support, culminating in their first kiss as husband and wife. It had been exactly what Hermione wanted, and put all thoughts of a second wedding from her mind. Their friends were there - Pansy and Greg, Blaise and Astoria, Harry, Neville. It was the perfect day.

Draco thrived in his new post as Potions master. He had an easy rapport with his students, and enjoyed teaching more than he thought he would. After his final class of the day, he would return to their living quarters to regale his wife with new stories and funny exchanges with the children. The Malfoys had become a staple of Hogwarts, attending meals and Quidditch games with the students. Many sought her out for additional tutoring when teachers were unavailable.

Hermione ran her shop until her sixth month when Madame Pomphrey prohibited her from using the floo. Her staff had taken over, and proved that, in her absence, the store could still thrive. She filled her days with preparing the nursery. Pansy often helped, decorating and filling the small closet with dresses. She would see to it that her goddaughter was well dressed.

"We haven't picked a name," Hermione murmured worriedly, breathing heavily after a contraction.

"I thought we had," Draco replied, trying to recall when she had changed her mind.

Hermione merely shrugged as Madame Pomphrey came in to examine her. "In no time soon, your little girl will be here," she announced.

Hermione's hand shook despite the grip she had on her husband's hand. Her mantra continued as tears clung to her lashes - I can't do this, I can't do this. He let her cry, knowing that when the time came she would be able to give birth. When Madame Pomphrey told her it was time to push, Hermione channelled all of her energy into the task at hand.

Draco hand hurt when labor was finally over. He grimaced as the school's mediwitch examined it and corrected a broken bone. He didn't care that he'd been injured. All he wanted to do was hold his newborn daughter. "Still think she's not a Cecilia?" he asked, sitting on the bed beside his wife.

"No, I think it's perfect," Hermione decided, holding her baby close to her chest. "She's perfect. Don't you think she's perfect?"

Cecelia, named for Hermione's grandmother, was small with a thin smattering of brown hair and blue eyes that remained closed. She had her mother's small nose and soft pout. "She's definitely perfect," Draco agreed. "Can I hold her?"

Hermione reluctantly relinquished her hold on Cecelia as Draco took his daughter from her mother's arms. He marvelled at how light she was, worried that if he held her too tight he could hurt her, and swore he'd never been so in love. Cecelia fussed for a moment, her lips twisting as she let out a soft cry, before falling back to sleep.

"Hey, do you realize where we are?" Hermione asked.

Draco looked around, confused. "Yeah, the hospital ward," he replied. "Are those pain potions making you a bit loopy?"

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head and smiled. "No, look," she insisted.

A happy smile touched his lips as Cecelia briefly opened her eyes. It was his bed his wife now laid in. She had saved his life from this bed. "This, sweetheart, is where it all began," he told the little girl.

The End


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